The 2020 Olympia Weekend has already had multiple champions announce their returns to competition. Now the most decorated female bodybuilder of all-time has added herself to the list of competitors that will be competing on the biggest stage in bodybuilding.
Iris Kyle, the only athlete to win 10 Olympia titles in any division, has been announced to return to the Ms. Olympia, which will also be returning to the big stage this year. Chief Olympia Officer Dan Solomon confirmed the story directly to BarBend and also offered the following statement which teases that there may be more news about this event to come.
“The 2020 Olympia continues to get more exciting. Many of the all-time greats want to be a part of the new Olympia experience we are creating. In addition to Iris Kyle going for number 11, we will also witness the return of Oksana Grishina and Adela Garcia, two of the greatest fitness champions of all time, along with the highly anticipated return of Flex Lewis, and the emotional farewell to Dexter Jackson as he competes for the final time. And with 5 months still to go, I have a feeling there will be more big announcements to come.”
Kyle shared a statement when the official announcement was made.
“Now is the right time for me to return to the greatest stage in bodybuilding. I’ve had so many incredible moments at the Olympia and I am focused on winning one more. I’m dedicating this one to all the fans who continue to inspire me in so many ways.”
Kyle is the last Ms. Olympia to win the title before the contest was discontinued in 2014. The return of the contest had been announced earlier this year around the same time that the Olympia was sold to the new owner, Jake Wood. Aside from her 10 world championship titles, Kyle also has won the Ms. International title at the Arnold Classic on seven different occasions. All seven times she won the International, she also won the Olympia in the same year. No other athlete in any division won both major titles (Olympia and Arnold/International) in the same year as many times as she had.
Should she compete this year, she will be 46 years old. No athlete in any division had won the Olympia at any age over 43 years old.
Featured Image: Instagram/iriskyle
