The Female Physique Webzine/Gallery
THE FIRST MS. OLYMPIA:
BIRTH OF A TRADITION
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Rachel McLish - the first Ms. Olympia - in
1992 |
The modern era of female bodybuilding began in 1977. There were a number of contests for women during the next couple of years, including "Best In The World" promoted by Galaxy founder George Snyder. In 1980, the IFBB sanctioned the first Ms. Olympia, which was staged in Philadelphia by Synder. The success of this competition was a watershed event in the history of bodybuilding for women. This was due in large part to how promotable Rachel McLish, the first Ms. Olympia, turned out to be. Female bodybuilding was extremely fortunate to have Rachel associated with the sport almost from its beginning. With Rachel as the champion, the idea of women developing their muscles for aesthetic purposes was not that hard a sell.
Following is a link to my Muscle & Fitness contest report of that first Ms. Olympia, as posted on the getbig.com website. Contemporary fans of female bodybuioding may enjoy a glimpse into the early days of physique competition for women. Many of the names of competitors in that contest are now largely forgotten, but these were the women who helped create the sport as we know it today.
MS. OLYMPIA 1980 CONTEST REPORT
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