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FEMALE GALLERIES |
INDEX |
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FEMALE GALLERIES |
INDEX |
1980
As I've written in the previous chapter, Arnold Schwarzenegger won 1980 Mr. Olympia, the most controversial edition of this contest. We assist at the first edition of IFBB Ms. Olympia and the winner was Rachel McLish, at the age of 22. She was also the winner of 1980 NPC USA Championships, the first edition of this contest which allowed a section for women. The competitors of the first edition of Ms. Olympia where 20, and there were no rules to be accepted in the contest. Also a strip-teaser, Kelly Everts, took part to this competition (and she finished 20th). The mass and definition of the first competitors of Ms. Olympia are completly different from those of the professional female bodybuilders of these days, as you can see from the photos.
Rachel McLish. After winning Ms. Olympia, she became a model and actress.
1981
Franco Columbu, after five years of absence, won Mr. Olympia.
Kike Elomaa. She promotes a finnish competition named "Kike Elomaa's Classic" and she is now a singer.
Ms. Olympia was a finnish girl: Kike Elomaa, while Rachel McLish finished 2nd. Kike won in the same year the European Championships and the World Games in the heavyweight class (more than 57 kg - 125,6 lbs.). For 19 years Kike was the only european athlete who won Ms. Olympia: the next were Valentina Chepiga from Ukraine (Heavyweight class, 2000) and Andrulla Blanchette from England (Lightweight class, 2000).
1982
Chris Dickerson won all the most important competitions of bodybuilding: NABBA Mr. Universe Amateur and Pro, and Mr. Olympia. His trainer in 1982 was the 5 time NABBA Mr. Universe Bill Pearl and they train themselves in a garage !
The winner of Mr. Olympia was Chris Dickerson at the age of 43. Dickerson was the oldest winner of Mr. Olympia in history.
1982 Mr. Olympia competitors. Bottom, from left to right: Danny Padilla, Chris Dickerson (winner), Mohamed Makkawy, Samir Bannout, JohnnyFuller, Tom Platz, Boyer Coe. Top, from left to right: unknown, Jusup Wilcosz, Dennis Tinerino, Casey Viator, Albert Beckles, Frank Zane, Jacques Neuville.
Ms. Olympia was won another time by Rachel McLish, while this time Kike Elomaa finished 3rd. NABBA Mr. Universe was won by the french Edward Kawak, who will win also in '83, '84, '85, and '93.
1983
Samir Bannout, an athlete from Lebanon, won Mr. Olympia. In the same year, Frank Zane finished 4th in his last appearence in this contest, and then decided to abandon competitions. Second classified was Mohammed Makkawi, while a 22-years-old Lee Haney, at his debut in this contest, finished third.
The three time NABBA Mr. Universe winner Bertil Fox finished 5th. He is unfortunately known because he killed his girlfriend and her mother in the late 90s.
Samir Bannout won Mr. Olympia with a weight of 85 kg (187 lbs.)
The winner of Ms. Olympia was Carla Dunlap (now Carla Dunlap-Kaan), while this time Rachel McLish didn't take part to the contest. Carla won five competitions as an IFBB professional bodybuilder, and continued to compete up to 1993, at the age of 39.
Carla Dunlap - Kaan. Photo from the film "Pumping Iron II: The Women".
We assist at the first film dedicated to female bodybuilding: "Pumping Iron II: The Women". Unlike male bodybuilding, there were no strict canons about the judging of female athlets: what is the right direction that female bodybuilding should take ? Also today, someone thinks that there's no distinction beetwen male and female bodybuilding: women should be massive and have the same definition of men. That's the thought of Beverly (Bev) Francis, who is proud to say that she has demonstrated that a woman can have the same muscles and the same force of a man. Others think that female bodybuilding is different: women should be only "a little bit" massive and "not so" defined. That's the thought of Rachel McLish. But how much massive should they be ? And how much defined ? Probably Bev Francis' way of thinking is more radical, but surely more concrete. That's why in the 80s and 90s we assist to an increment of mass in female bodybuilders. In fact, in 15 years (from 1983 to 1998) the increment of weight in Ms. Olympia top six finalists is about 28% (from an average weight of 55 kg - 121,2 lbs. to 70 kg - 154,3 lbs.).
Bev Francis. She finished 2nd in Mr. Olympia three times. Now she's a mother of three children and she promotes bodybuilding.
1984
Lee Haney won Mr. Olympia and the rest is history: he will win 8 consecutive times - from 1984 to 1991. Mohamed Makkawi finished another time 2nd.
Lee Haney won 8 editions of Mr. Olympia, while in the same period other good athlets like Rich Gasparri, Albert Beckles and Dorian Yates finished in second place.
The winner of Ms. Olympia was Corinna (Cory) Everson. She will win six time in a row - from 1984 to 1989.
Cory Everson. She is now a famous actress and conduce a TV program called "Gotta Sweat".
1985
Mr. Olympia was won by Haney and the second classified was Albert Beckles, at the age of 53 years !
Albert Beckles. He won IFBB Mr. Universe in 1971 and World Pro Championships in 1984.
1986
Mr. Olympia was Haney for the third time in a row. Second classified: Rich Gaspari, who will finish 2nd for three times in a row ('86, '87 and '88).
Rich Gaspari. After Haney, probably the best bodybuilder of the 80s.
1987
A dutch girl named Juliette Bergmann finished 7th in the IFBB World Pro Championships. She won 1986 edition of the same competition, and after two years and a 15th place in 1988 IFBB World Pro Championships, she decided to retire from competitions. But she was wrong, because after more than 12 years she returned to compete in Ms. Olympia contest, and won the 2001 overall Ms. Olympia title at the age of 42!
1988
The german Anja Langer, a very beautiful female bodybuilder, took the 2nd place in Ms. Olympia, and then she unexpectly abandon the world of professional bodybuilding.
Anja Langer.
1989
Mr. Olympia took place in Rimini (Italy) and it was the first time in which Lee Haney seemed not at his top. He won this competion, but he will never more repat the same error: in the '90 and '91 edition he was another time in a very good shape. Second classified: Lee Labrada, the "mass with class", who will finish 2nd also in 1990.
Lee Labrada.
Arnold
Schwarzenegger and Jim Lorimer promoted the Arnold
Classic in Columbus,
Ohio (USA). The Arnold Classic is the second
most important competition in IFBB.
The '89 edition was won by Rich Gaspari.
While Mr. Olympia
take place in October, the Arnold
Classic take place in
March and unlike Mr.
Olympia, every year the
competition is done in the same city.
Links - The Women
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Cory Everson Official Website A gallery of Cory Everson photos |
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Kike Elomaa Official Website (language: suomi) |
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Bev Francis Official Website |
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Carla Dunlap - Kaan Official Website |
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Anja Langer Official Website |
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Juliette Bergmann Official Website |
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Female Muscle by Lori Braun |
Links - The Men
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Lee Haney Official Website |
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Rich Gaspari Official Website |
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Casey Viator Official Website |
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Frank Zane Official Website |
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Mike Mentzer Official Website |
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Franco Columbu Official Website |
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Bob Paris Official Website |
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History of Mr. Olympia |
Other links available in the gallery.
