Carla Dunlap

Carla Dunlap-Kaan, born on October 22, 1954, is a professional American female bodybuilding champion. She was born in Newark, New Jersey, and started competing in sports with gymnastics at age ten before moving to speed and synchronized swimming. She won a gold medal in synchronized swimming at the 1977 Junior National Team Championships and a bronze medal at the inaugural National Sports Festival in 1978. She entered her first bodybuilding contest in 1979, placing fifth among 45 entrants despite never having trained for it, and then trained seriously and won the NPC Nationals in 1981 and 1982. In 1982 she lost the Ms. Olympia to Rachel McLish by two points, and in 1983, her most successful year, she won three pro shows including the Ms. Olympia. With Tony Pearson she won the World Professional Mixed Pairs title in 1984 and 1988. She is the only female bodybuilder to have competed in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 1999, and later worked as a television commentator on bodybuilding and fitness events.