Mr. America

Flex, July, 2009 by Shawn Perine

Although he never had the chance to win a national bodybuilding title in his adopted country, from February 26,2009, onward, Gunter Schlierkamp is finally Mr. America. The 39-year-old was sworn in as an American citizen at the Woodland Hills, California, offices of Judge Harry Pregerson.

Whereas the typical naturalization proceedings are held in large halls and attended by hundreds-and even thousands--of people, Schlierkamp's VIP treatment was arranged by good friend Jerry McGowan who, as fate would have it, met Judge Pregerson while playing piano at a cafe in Missoula, Montana. As it turns out, Judge Pregerson has his own ties to the bodybuilding world, having grown up two doors down from Joe Gold, founder of Gold's Gym.

As for Citizen Schlierkamp, becoming American is a fait accompli. "For me, it's almost like I have finally completed something," he says. "I have felt for so many years that I was only half [American], because whenever you travel, you have to have your green card at all times. If you lose it, you can't come back into the country. It doesn't feel like it's your country when you can be locked out over something like that.

"This is truly my country now. My wife [personal trainer Kim Lyons] is here and I want to live here forever. I have no intentions of ever moving back to Germany."

Welcome home, G-man.