Bodybuilding is a sport that is also practiced by women. Today and in the past, these athletes have stood out for being able to define their muscles just as well as men, becoming great inspirations to other athletes.
After learning about the most important male bodybuilders in the world and in Brazil, it’s time to take a look at the world’s greatest female bodybuilders. These athletes dedicate their lives to being top-level athletes, always dedicated to competing and, of course, winning.
So let’s find out who are the athletes who make the list of the world’s greatest female bodybuilders?
Check them out 👇
The world’s greatest female bodybuilders: meet the best in history
- Iris Kyle
- Legend Murray
- Rachel McLish
Iris Kyle
Born in the 1970s, Iris Floyd Kyle took up muscular training in her teens. She started competing in 1994 and has since won several important titles.
Among her most famous milestones is winning the most important women’s bodybuilding championship, the Ms. Olympia. Iris Kyle won the competition no less than 10 times, becoming the best of her time.
The bodybuilder retired more than 10 years ago, but she continues to inspire new athletes. Her career is still remembered today as one of the most impressive.
Legend Murray
Bodybuilder Lenda Murray made a name for herself in the sport in the 1980s and 1990s in the women’s division. Her first competition took place in 1985 and she soon became one of the world’s greatest female bodybuilders.
Murray won the Ms. Olympia, a very important bodybuilding championship, eight times and seven times in a row. The American athlete has also won other competitions throughout her career.
Murray is second only to Iris Kyle in the list of the greatest female bodybuilders in the world and in history. She is now retired from Today, she has retired from competitions, but is still involved in the world of bodybuilding.
Rachel McLish
Bodybuilder Rachel McLish is not only one of the greatest female bodybuilders in the world, she was also one of those responsible for bringing female interest to the sport. The athlete got involved in the sport in the 1970s and never stopped.
In 1980, the bodybuilder won her first Ms. Olympia contest, becoming the first woman to become an official champion of the competition. Marchel McLish excelled so much in the sport that she won first place several more times.
Thanks to the American bodybuilder, bodybuilding became more widespread not only in her country, but around the world. As well as being an athlete, she has made a name for herself as an actress and writer.
The world’s top female bodybuilders: meet today’s best
- Andrea Shaw
- Margie Martin
- Laura Lee Chapados
Andrea Shaw
American bodybuilder Andrea Shaw is an athlete who has made a name for herself as one of the best female bodybuilders in the world. With a great physique obtained through intense training, she has already won the Ms. Olympia, the most important championship.
Her involvement with building a body with defined muscles began when she was just 17. Initially, she wanted to be a model, but her passion for bodybuilding began to emerge at a certain point in her life, changing her plans.
In 2008, she took part in her first competition, but didn’t win. After a while without training, she went back to training and dieting and managed to complete her goals. Her last victory was the Ms. Olympia in 2023.
Margie Martin
Margie Martin is a top-level bodybuilder who has made a name for herself in major bodybuilding competitions. She says she first became interested in the sport as a child when she met an athlete.
She watched competitions on television and was even inspired by the character She-Ra. At school, when she was 13, she started lifting weights in a bodybuilding class, as she was the only girl.
Years later, in 2007, she took part in her first competition and never stopped. Throughout her career, she has won important awards and stood out for all the effort she puts into training and dieting to keep her body sculpted. She soon became one of the greatest female bodybuilders in the world!
Laura Lee Chapados
Bodybuilder Laura Lee Chapados is an athlete dedicated to Bikini Fitness. In recent years, she has excelled in the sport, including winning the Ms Bikini International competition three times, one of the most important.
The athlete also stands out when it comes to encouraging other women to pursue a bodybuilding career, being a top-level athlete with intense training and a balanced diet.
In addition to the Ms Bikini International, bodybuilder Laura Lee Chapados, who is originally from Canada, also competes constantly in other championships. The athlete is one of the greatest bodybuilders of her generation.
World’s greatest female bodybuilders: meet the best Brazilians in history
We have very little information about the first female bodybuilders to make history in Brazil. The first worth mentioning is Marlene P. Faria, who won the first women’s bodybuilding championship in Brazil in 1984.
The second competition, which took place the following year, was won by Maria Eugênia, who also made history in the female version of the sport. In the third event, Marlene P. Faria won first place again.
In the following years, the competitions continued, reaching all over Brazil. Soon, the sport became widespread among more athletes, bringing relevance to the champions we have today.
The world’s top female bodybuilders: meet today’s best Brazilians
- Francielle Mattos
- Alcione Santos
- Juliana Malacarne
Francielle Mattos
Bodybuilder Francielle Mattos is one of the biggest names in the sport today, having won the Wellness Olympia three times. The Brazilian has also won two editions of the Arnold Classic, another major championship.
Her bodybuilding career began in 2017, when she was already very active in muscular training. She took part in her first championship and never stopped competing. Her CV also includes the MuscleContest Brazil competition.
Today, Francielle Mattos is one of Brazil’s top female bodybuilders and is known as the “human Ferrari”. The nickname was given to her by a photographer who was impressed by her physique.
Alcione Santos
Alcione Santos, one of the most prominent bodybuilders in recent years, is one of the names to remember when it comes to success in sports. The athlete is already a great aspiration for new sportswomen to come.
The bodybuilder stands out for winning third place at the Ms Olympia in 2023, which is quite important. Standing on the podium of this award brings great visibility to female athletes, and could be just the start of a successful career.
Santos, born in Bahia, also has three IBFF (International Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation) titles to her name. All this was achieved with a lot of dedication to muscular training, with regular workouts and a balanced diet.
Juliana Malacarne
Brazilian bodybuilder Juliana Malacarne started training as a youngster and is now a nationally and internationally recognized athlete. Before this achievement, it all started in small, local competitions.
Malacarne is an athlete known for having a sculpted physique with a lot of symmetry, which was enough for her to win the best prizes. As a result, she has become a renowned athlete in Brazil and around the world.
Among the titles Juliana has won are Mr. Olympia, which she won four times between 2014 and 2017, and the Arnold Classic, which she won in 2015. She was the first woman to win the event.
What did you think of meeting the world’s greatest female bodybuilders? Between foreigners and Brazilians, they put on a show in competitions and show that it is possible to be a great athlete with a lot of training and dedication.
The greatest female bodybuilders in the world
- Iris Kyle
- Leyenda Murray
- Rachel McLish
- Andrea Shaw
- Margie Martin
- Laura Lee Chapados
- Marlene P. Faria
- Maria Eugênia
- Francielle Mattos
- Alcione Santos
- Juliana Malacarne
