Top 5 most successful female bodybuilders
The bodybuilding industry is not only for men, and the Ms. Olympia winners are the perfect example of this. Ms. Olympia was introduced 15 years after Mr. Olympia began. The first Ms. Olympia show was held in 1980, and Rachel McLish became the first woman in history to win a bodybuilding show.
The Ms. Olympia show had a major setback in 2014 due to fans losing interest in the show. It was eventually canceled after a heavy drop in ticket sales. But after six years, in 2020, Ms. Olympia made a comeback, and since then, the show hasn't looked back.
Just like Mr. Olympia, the show has six divisions: bikini, figure, fitness, wellness, women's physique, and women's bodybuilding. Let's take a look at the athletes with the most Ms. Olympia titles under their names.
#1 Iris Kyle (10-time Ms. Olympia)
Iris Kyle is a legend in the women's bodybuilding realm and has won 10 Olympia titles, an unbeaten record so far across the men's and women's events. Even Ronnie Coleman, the 'King' of Bodybuilding, has eight Olympia titles.
Kyle has always been in the top five rankings since her debut in 1999. The 10-time Ms. Olympia's winning streak started in 2006, and she won the title consecutively until 2014, when the show was halted abruptly.
Kyle also lifted the title in 2001, in the heavyweight category, but in 2004, she won the heavyweight and overall categories also. She was all set to return in the 2020 Ms. Olympia, but had to withdraw due to an serious illness. That being said, she has carved a monumental legacy for herself.
#2 Lenda Murray (eight-time Ms. Olympia)
Lenda Murray started her career in 1985, competing in the NPC Michigan State, securing a place in the top five in her first-ever pro show. In the same year, she also competed in the NPC Eastern Michigan and secured first place. Since then, Murray hasn't looked back.
Murray made her debut in Ms. Olympia in 1990 and won the title. She won the title for six consecutive years between 1990 and 1995, and then retired from the sport to pursue business and entrepreneurial interests as per Muscle & Fitness. She made a comeback in 2002 at age 40 and won that competition along with another title in 2003.
#3 Corinna Everson (six-time Ms. Olympia)
Corinna Everson began her bodybuilding career in 1980, was successful in her first show, winning the Ms. Mid America title. Everson won her first Ms. Olympia title on debut in 1984, and defended it successfully for five consecutive years till 1989. She retired from the competition post 1989 but etched her name in history in golden words.
#4 Kim Chizevsky (four-time Ms. Olympia)
Kim Chizevsky, who hails from Charleston, Illinois, began her career in 1989 at the Tri-State Bodybuilding Show, where she secured second place. She debuted in Ms. Olympia in 1993, where she finished in fifth place. After finishing in second place in 1995, she won her first ever Ms. Olympia title the following year and won four titles in a row till 1999.
#5 Andrea Shaw (four-time Ms. Olympia)
Andrea Shaw grew up in Michigan and was interested in gymnastics and cheerleading. By age 18, she observed that her body responded well to training and workout, which eventually led her into the bodybuilding world. Shaw debuted in Ms. Olympia in 2020 and won her first title, and she's the reigning champion, her fourth consecutive win.