Eight-time Ms. Figure Olympia Cydney Gillon may have stepped away from the stage as a competitor, but her impact remains profound. Look no further than Atlanta, GA, where the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream recognized Gillon as one of the “Unstoppable Women of Atlanta” during the May 22, 2025, game against the Indiana Fever.
Gillon is still training and focused on the bodybuilding business, and shared more in an exclusive interview with BarBend.
Editor’s note: The following interview has been lightly edited for readability.
BarBend (BB): Have you reflected on your bodybuilding career?
Gillon: I really hadn’t thought much about it. Once I retired, life seemed to take off, and I’ve been going non-stop ever since.
I immediately started working on my pro show — Triple O Dynasty Pro. I have my annual Cydney Gillon Peach Classic show coming up. We are at almost 200 competitors, not counting crossovers.
BB: Why is it important that you continue contributing to the sport?
Gillon: It really is about pouring as much as I can into the athletes and my fans who gave me so much support. I have been doing that for the last 12 years, and I want to continue doing it in the future. I still want to represent my category and ensure we can continue to benefit.
BB: The Triple O Dynasty Pro is the first pro show to be promoted by multiple female reigning Olympia champions; you and Andrea Shaw. How has that event and process been?
Gillon: Andrea and I wanted to ensure we keep putting money back into our categories and uplifting the sport for NPC athletes. It has been great to work with someone like Andrea, who works hard.
People who know me will tell you I am a workhorse. I needed a partner who could work hard and make moves like me; that is precisely who she is.
BB: What progress regarding prize money has there been for your contest?
Gillon: Even at the last minute this year, I secured $3,000 more for Women’s Bodybuilding. That is not even my category, but that is what it is about for us.
It isn’t just about elevating our categories; we are working to elevate each other. It takes a team to make the dream work; we have been and will continue to do so.
BB: How much has training changed post-retirement?
Gillon: Training is definitely different now. I do a lot more lower-body training because I love it and am doing more glute and quad training than I used to. When competing, I eventually hit my cap on what I could bring to the stage.
BB: Do you find it easier to build muscle now?
Gillon: I have always been able to build muscle very easily. I had to ensure my muscles looked full onstage but not necessarily bigger. Now that I am retired, the glutes can get as big as they want. So now, I let them grow. I focus mainly on health and ensuring I can be functional and athletic.
BB: A new Figure champion is guaranteed at the 2025 Olympia. Who are the top contenders?
Gillon: I think multiple contenders can do it. It all depends on how they can come in. So, it is hard to pick out just one.
BB: What is their biggest challenge in preparing for the Olympia?
Gillon: I actually think taking me out of it puts more pressure on them. A lot of people got comfortable with me winning. They obviously trained to win, but they may not have considered it as likely.
When you remove me, that door is wide open, and they now may think, ‘I have a chance.’ That can add more pressure to them going into it. The good news is that if they can handle it, they will show that they are capable of being champion.
BB: Will you be there to see who wins it?
Gillon: I will be right there watching. I look forward to it.
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Featured Image: @vytamin_c on Instagram
