When I saw Iris Kyle win the 1996 Orange County Muscle Classic, she was ripped and in great shape, but she did not have the muscle mass that would later allow her to win 10 Ms. Olympia titles. Obviously, she put on a lot more size fairly quickly. But being in great shape on the contest stage would always be something you came to expect of Iris. In fact, over all the years I watched her compete, I only saw her miss being in her absolute best condition once!
But at first, after Iris earned her pro card at the 1997 NPC USA Championships, she had problems impressing some pro judges. She placed 4th at the 1999 Olympia and 5th in 2000. Overlooked is an understatement. At one point, the judges didn’t even compare her to the top three in her class. Personally, I was furious. I had seen so many instances of more muscular women being denied fair treatment in the past by bodybuilding officials, but I thought at this point we had gone beyond that.
Afterward, I stood up for Iris and told her we should do a photo shoot to show everybody just how good she was. Then she sent me a fax demanding I pay her a lot of money, would only be permitted to publish images she selected, and only for certain specified uses. In all my years in the industry, nobody had ever made those kind of demands.
So, unfortunately, though I photographed Iris many times at contests and expos over the years, I never got to shoot her in the studio or in an interesting location.
Bill Dobbins is a legendary bodybuilding photographer and founding editor of FLEX magazine.
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Bill Dobbins
Bodybuilding Politics
As great as Iris Kyle was on stage, it was her ability to get along with people where she sometimes fell short. When a lot of people, especially those of importance, don’t like you very much or you have the reputation for being difficult, it can create roadblocks for you and affect how you’re perceived, appreciated, and rewarded.
Nonetheless, Iris became such a great bodybuilder that it became impossible to deny her victory on the competition stage.
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Bill Dobbins
Help From the Sisterhood of Muscle
Iris did make improvements in one area that eventually helped make a difference. Early on her stage presentation was, let’s say “unadorned.” Without much make up, under the harsh stage lighting, she looked harder and less attractive than might otherwise have been the case.
I noticed over time Iris was spending a lot of time with Dayana Cadeau, a lightweight Ms. Olympia, who always looked attractive on stage. At one point it seemed clear that Iris had learned about makeup from Dayana and her overall look and presentation on stage vastly improved. This helped the judges give her the placings she deserved.
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Bill Dobbins
Iris Kyle’s Olympia 2020 Comeback
Iris’ last Olympia was in 2014, where she just barely beat Alina Popa (who will not be competing in the 2020 Olympia). As several of the male bodybuilders have shown, it can be difficult to come back and win after time off. But Iris is such a great bodybuilder that, if she has continued to train over the years, she shouldn’t be counted out.
And her return is just one more reason why the Ms. Olympia 2020 under the auspices of Jake Wood and Wings of Strength is bound to be such an important milestone in the history of bodybuilding for women.
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Bill Dobbins
Iris Kyle’s Competition History
• 1994 NPC Long Beach Muscle Classic – 1st
• 1994 NPC Ironmaiden Championships – 2nd (MW)
• 1996 NPC Orange County Muscle Classic – 1st (HW and Overall)
• 1996 NPC California – 1st (HW and Overall)
• 1996 NPC USA Championships – 2nd
• 1997 NPC USA Championships – 3rd (HW)
• 1997 NPC Nationals – 4th (HW)
• 1998 NPC USA Championships – 1st (HW and Overall)
• 1999 IFBB Ms. International – 15th
• 1999 IFBB Pro World Championship – 2nd
• 1999 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 4th
• 2000 IFBB Ms. International – 3rd (HW) (Later disqualified)
• 2000 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 5th (HW)
• 2001 IFBB Ms. International – 2nd (HW)
• 2001 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st (HW)
• 2002 IFBB Ms. International – 2nd (HW)
• 2002 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 2nd (HW)
• 2002 IFBB GNC Show of Strength – 2nd (HW)
• 2003 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 2nd (HW)
• 2004 IFBB Ms. International – 1st (HW and Overall)
• 2004 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st (HW and Overall)
• 2005 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 2nd
• 2006 IFBB Ms. International – 1st
• 2006 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
• 2007 IFBB Ms. International – 1st
• 2007 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
• 2008 IFBB Ms. International – 7th
• 2008 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
• 2009 IFBB Ms. International – 1st
• 2009 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
• 2010 IFBB Ms. International – 1st
• 2010 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
• 2011 IFBB Ms. International – 1st
• 2011 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
• 2012 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
• 2013 IFBB Ms. International – 1st
• 2013 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
• 2014 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
