Stacey Bentley, Female Bodybuilding Legend, Dies Age 63

FitnessVolt: The bodybuilding community has suffered a majorly tragic loss. Stacey Bentley, a true pioneer of the sport, has passed away at the age of 63.

Stacey Bentley was one of the original female bodybuilders, competing in the first-ever event as such. She took the stage at the first IFBB Women’s World Bodybuilding Championships, in 1979, scoring fourth place. Moreover, she won three contests before her retirement from the sport in 1981, including the 1979 Frank Zane Pro. She paved the way for today’s generation of female bodybuilding.

Following her career as a bodybuilder, Stacey decided to find joy in helping people as a registered nurse. This came as little surprise to those who knew her, because she was always kindhearted. Even as she competed, she worked to break the stereotypes of bodybuilders being aggressive. Moreover, she did not even care for talking smack about her fellow competitors.

Unfortunately, according to a Facebook post from Roger Schwab, a close friend to Stacey, she heartbreakingly lost her life. According to the post, she tragically passed on New Year’s Eve, “suddenly and quietly.”

The bodybuilding contest where you CAN'T show off your muscles

Teenager wins first-ever women's championship in Bangladesh - but most of her muscles were covered up to avoid offending Muslims

DailyMail: Bangladesh's first women's bodybuilding championship was won by a 19-year-old student in a contest where most of her muscle was covered up to prevent controversy in the Muslim-majority nation.

While skimpy bikinis are the norm at international body-building contests, Awhona Rahman and her 29 rivals kept their brawn under wraps in front of the crowd of hundreds.

Rahman and the other competitors struck poses on stage wearing tight leggings and body-hugging outfits during the three-day event that finished on Sunday and was held in the capital Dhaka.

I am really happy, I really worked hard for this,' Rahman told AFP. 'It never entered my mind that someone might criticise me for showing my body. My brother, who runs a fitness centre, has always encouraged me,' she added.

Awhona Rahman, 19, (left, number 444), was crowned Bangladesh's first female bodybuilding champion on Sunday after competing in a crop top and leggings in a sport where bikinis are the norm

'We were told there would be proper dress code and the outfit provided was perfect from a Bangladeshi perspective.'

Bangladesh Bodybuilding Federation general secretary Nazrul Islam said there had been a huge response to the landmark women's competition which aimed to encourage health and fitness.

'We were very careful about the dress code because of our religious and social culture. We selected long sleeve crop tops and leggings for the girls,' he added.

Islam predicted the competition would help create jobs for women in the growing number of gymnasiums in Bangladesh where women now have memberships.

Nearly 90 per cent of Bangladesh's population is Muslim and women are making a growing impact in sport including cricket, football and archery.