Prior to the start of the 21st century, the only two women’s divisions in the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) were the Ms. Olympia and the Fitness Olympia. This meant that pro women’s bodybuilding was only available to women who wanted to achieve the bigger muscles featured in Ms. Olympia and those who were able and willing to perform the kinds of gymnastics, dancing, and tumbling featured in the Fitness Olympia. To expand women’s bodybuilding, the IFBB started the Figure Olympia in 2003.
Figure features athletes that have shape, symmetry, and some muscle size. Athletes competing in the Figure Olympia typically are judged for a more stereotypically “feminine” shape and appearance, with a focus on developed shoulders and upper back with a smaller waist and bigger glutes. But, these athletes aren’t generally as big as classic bodybuilders. The division was met with a positive response, and today the division has become a force all its own.
View this post on Instagram
There have been seven champions in the division’s 19-year history. Three women have held the title three times or more. Cydney Gillon holds the record for the most Figure Olympia wins, with five and counting as of this writing. The only one-time champion in the division’s history is Jennifer Gates, who won it in 2008. Two women have reclaimed the title after losing it. Here’s a more detailed look back at the history of this prestigious contest.
Every Figure Olympia Winner
- Davana Medina (2003-2005)
- Jenny Lynn (2006, 2007)
- Jennifer Gates (2008)
- Nicole Wilkins (2009, 2011, 2013, 2014)
- Erin Stern (2010, 2012)
- Latorya Watts (2015, 2016)
- Cydney Gillon (2017-2021)
Davana Medina (2003-2005)
The very first Figure Olympia took place in 2003, and there was mystery surrounding how the new division would be met by the fans. It turned out to be a highlight of the 2003 season. Davana Medina was crowned the first champion that year, and she maintained a grip on that title for the next two years.
2003
- Davana Medina
- Monica Brant
- Jenny Lynn
- Mari Kudla
- Dinah Al-Sabah
- D.J. Wallis
- Jamie Franklin
- Aleksandra Kobielak
- Sharon Kouvaris
- Hannah Park
- Elaine Goodlad
- Theil Bradford
2004
- Davana Medina
- Jenny Lynn
- Monica Brant
- Jamie Franklin
- Amber Littlejohn
- Christine Pomponio-Pate
- Mari Kudla-Donnelly
- Elaine Goodlad
- Zena Collins
- Aleksandra Kobielak
- Mellisa Frabbiele
- Shannon Meteraud
- Dinah Al-Sabah
- Jaanaa Kotkansolo
- Lisbeth Halikka
2005
- Davana Medina
- Jenny Lynn
- Monica Brant
- Amber Littlejohn
- Mary Elizabeth Lado
- Christine Pomponio-Pate
- Valerie Waugaman
- Amanda Savell
- Jennifer Searles
- Monica Guerra
- Chastity Slone
- Latisha Wilder
- Michelle Adams
- Tara Scotti
- Melissa Frabbiele
Jenny Lynn (2006 and 2007)
After three tries, Jenny Lynn finally cleared the hurdle to become the second Figure Olympia winner. It wasn’t without a fight; both Amber Littlejohn and Monica Brant pushed her to the limit.
View this post on Instagram
Lynn hoped to start her own run as champion, and succeeding in grabbing two consecutive titles for herself.
2006
- Jenny Lynn
- Amber Littlejohn
- Monica Brant
- Christine Pomponio-Pate
- Mary Elizabeth Lado
- Gina Aliotti
- Amanda Savall
- Gina Camacho
- Jennifer Searles
- Latisha Wilder
- Jessica Paxson
- Valerie Waugerman
- Michelle Adams
- Inga Neverauskaite
- Andrea Dumon
2007
- Jenny Lynn
- Gina Aliotti
- Sonia Adcock
- Jennifer Gates
- Amanda Savell
- Amber Littlejohn
- Monica Brant
- Amy Fry
- Valerie Waugaman
- Mary Elizabeth Lago
- Latisha Wilder
- Zivile Raudoniene
- Inga Neverauskaite
- Andrea Dumon
- Chastity Slone
Jennifer Gates (2008)
Lynn was expected to three-peat at the 2008 contest, but no one saw second-year pro Jennifer Gates coming. She showed up ripped and confident to Las Vegas, and she pulled off an incredible upset to take the title. Lynn finished in fourth place. Gates never returned to the Olympia stage again after taking the victory.
- Jennifer Gates
- Gina Aliotti
- Zivile Raudoniene
- Jenny Lynn
- Mary Elizabeth Lado
- Sonia Adcock
- Kristal Richardson
- Amy Fry
- Nicole Wilkins
- Heather Mae French
- Lenay Hernandez
- Julia Ann Kulia
- Huong Arcinas
- Jessica Putnam
- Jelena Abbou
Nicole Wilkins (2009, 2011, 2013, 2014)
In the early 2010’s, Nicole Wilkins was among the most popular athletes of any gender in fitness. Her rise to superstardom began when she won her first Figure Olympia title in 2009.
View this post on Instagram
After relinquishing the title in 2010, she regained it the following year. She missed her peak in 2012, but would bring a more muscular physique to the 2013 contest to clinch her third world title. She would repeat in 2014 to make it four wins on the biggest stage in bodybuilding.
2009
- Nicole Wilkins
- Gina Aliotti
- Heather Mae French
- Kristal Richardson
- Amy Fry
- Erin Stern
- Jenny Lynn
- Jessica Putnam
- Felicia Romero
- Monica Brant
- Sonia Gonzalez
- Larissa Reis
- Alicia Harris
- Kristi Tauti
- Meriza DeGuzman
2011
- Nicole Wilkins
- Erin Stern
- Ava Cowan
- Candice Keene
- Teresa Anthony
- Alicia Harris
- Cheryl Brown
- Latisha Wilder
- Jelena Abbou
- Larissa Reis
- Gennifer Strobo
- Chelsey Morgenstern
- Heather Dees
- Alea Suarez
- Felicia Romero
2013
- Nicole Wilkins
- Erin Stern
- Candice Keene
- Heather Dees
- Mallory Haldeman
- Ann Titone
- Camala Rodriguez
- Gennifer Strobo
- Candice Lewis
- Dana Ambrose
- Allison Frahn
- Alea Suarez
- Kati Alander
- Swann Delarosa
- Candice John
2014
- Nicole Wilkins
- Candice Keene
- Candice Lewis
- Ann Titone
- Latorya Watts
- Gennifer Strobo
- Julie Mayer
- Dana Ambrose
- Cydney Gillon
- Allison Frahn
- Alicia Coates
- Jessica Graham
- Camala Rodriguez
- Wendy Fortino
- Andrea Calhoun
Erin Stern (2010 and 2012)
The biggest rivalry in this division would be between Wilkins and Erin Stern. Stern would be the athlete to disrupt Wilkins’ championship reign not once, but twice. She won her first Olympia in 2010 to kick off the decade. After Wilkins reclaimed the title in 2011, Stern took it back in 2012.
View this post on Instagram
She wouldn’t win the title again afterwards, but her contribution to the division was cemented thanks to the competitions she and Wilkins put on during that stretch of time.
2010
- Erin Stern
- Nicole Wilkins
- Heather Mae French
- Kristal Richardson
- Felicia Romero
- Alicia Harris
- Teresa Anthony
- Terri Turner
- Candice Keene
- Larissa Reis
- Cheryl Brown
- Carin Hawkins
- Gennifer Strobo
- Gina Trochiano
- Kristi Tauti
2012
- Erin Stern
- Nicole Wilkins
- Candice Keene
- Heather Dees
- Mallory Haldeman
- Teresa Anthony
- Candice Lewis
- Allison Frahn
- Ava Cowan
- Larissa Reis
- Alicia Harris
- Ann Titone
- Alea Suarez
- Candice John
- Monica Specking
Latorya Watts (2015 and 2016)
Bridging the gap between the division’s two winningest athletes is a competitor who should be very proud of her own career. Watts upset Wilkins to take the title in 2015, and she then held off contenders Candice Keene and Cydney Gillon to win her second straight Olympia.
View this post on Instagram
That makes Watts the only athlete to have beaten both Wilkins and Gillon on the Olympia stage.
2015
- Latorya Watts
- Nicole Wlkins
- Candice Lewis
- Camala Rodriguez
- Candice Keene
- Gennifer Strobo
- Ann Titone
- Cydney Gillon
- Andrea Calhoun
- Joan Smith
- Allison Frahn
- Julie Mayer
- Ivana Ivusic
- Adela Ondrejovicova
- Shalako Bradberry
2016
- Latorya Watts
- Candice Lewis
- Cydney Gillon
- Nicole Wilkins
- Swann Delarosa
- Camala Rodriguez
- Gennifer Strobo
- Carly Starling-Horrell
- Vera Mallett
- Jennifer Taylor
- Stephanie Hammermiester
- Adela Ondrejovicova
- Brittany Campbell
- Sandra Grajales Romero
- Natalia Abraham Coelho
Cydney Gillon (2017-2021)
In 2017, Gillon rose up the ranks and defeated Watts to win her first Figure Olympia title. Little did the fans in Las Vegas realize that this was the dawn of the most dominant run in the history of her division.
Gillon is the only five-time champion, and she hasn’t lost any contest since she placed second at the 2018 Arnold Classic Australia contest.
2017
- Cydney Gillon
- Latorya Watts
- Candice Lewis-Carter
- Heather Dees
- Nicole Wilkins
- Maria Luisa Baeza-Diaz
- Ivana Ivusic
- Jessica Reyes-Padilla
- Sandra Grajales
- Bojana Vasiljevic
- Laurelle Martineau
- Camala Rodriguez
- Adela Ondre Jovicova
- Tonya Wheatfall
- Marlissa Jordan
2018
- Cydney Gillon
- Candice Lewis-Carter
- Nadia Wyatt
- Jessica Reyes-Padilla
- Carly Starling-Horrell
- Heather Dees
- Sandra Grajales
- Natalia Soltero
- Bojana Vasiljevic
- Brittany Campbell
- Ivana Ivusic
- Melissa Bumstead
- Julia Waring
- Julie Mayer
- Karina Grau
2019
- Cydney Gillon
- Latorya Watts
- Nadia Wyatt
- Jessica Reyes-Padilla
- Carly Starling-Horrell
- Ivana Ivusic
- Tarryn Garlington
- Ashley Soto
- Martina Yabekova
- Sandra Grajales
- Bojana Vasiljevic
- Karina Grau
- Rhea Gayle
- An Da Jeong
- Lola Montez
2020
- Cydney Gillon
- Natalia Soltero
- Nadia Wyatt
- Nicole Zenobia-Graham
- Latorya Watts
- Jessica Reyes-Padilla
- An Da Jeong
- Carly Starling-Horrell
- Rhea Gayle
- Anna Banks
- Bojana Vasiljevic
- Julia Waring
- Ajanel Williams
- Latoyia Farley
- Maryam Bamdad
2021
- Cydney Gillon
- Natalia Soltero
- Stephanie Gibson
- Jessica Reyes-Padilla
- Nicole Zenobia-Graham
- Larhannah Robinson
- An Da Jeong
- Maria Luisa Baeza Diaz
- Lola Montez
- Heather Dees
- Julia Waring
- Sandra Grajales
- Bojana Vasiljevic
- Wendy Fortino
- Bahar Ayra
2022 Figure Olympia
The 20th edition of the Figure Olympia is slated to take place Dec. 16-18, 2022 in Las Vegas, NV as a part of the 2022 Olympia weekend. There are now six women’s divisions that will grace the Olympia stage, but the Figure will be among the most anticipated because the fans will be excited to see who will challenge Gillon next.
Featured Image: @latoryawatts / Instagram