Bev Francis

Career Shot put As a teenager, Francis became an accomplished shot putter. In February 1974, she began serious training. In 1977, she broke the Australian shot put record. From 1977 to 1979 and 1981 to 1982, she was an Australian track and field team member. She missed the 1980 track season due to a knee injury. In 1982, she won the Australian national shot put championships. Along with shot put, she performed the discus throw, javelin throw, and 100 meter reserve.

Powerlifting In 1980, Francis held all world records in the weight class. At the 1981 World Powerlifting Championships, she set a world record when she bench pressed , the first woman's bench press over 300 lb. At the 1982 Australian Powerlifting Championships in Adelaide, she set a world record in the class with a squat of . She won gold medals in her weight class in the International Powerlifting Federation Championships from 1980 to 1985.

Best lifts Squat – Bench press – Deadlift – Disappointed with the results, she attempted to reinvent her physique along the lines of what was being rewarded, especially after hearing that she was "too muscular" for the judges' tastes.

Francis guest-posed at the 1985 Mr. Olympia competition, igniting the audience. She finished 10th in her Ms. Olympia debut in 1986. In 1987, she won the World Pro Championships. She followed up with three 3rd-place finishes at the Ms. Olympia in 1987, 1988, and 1989, then moved into 2nd place at the Ms. Olympia in 1990 (as runner-up to Lenda Murray). She had overhauled her physique radically from that 1983 Cesar's World Cup, when she was told she was "too muscular", but at the 1990 Olympia she was told she was "not muscular enough" to top Murray. Determined to win their next meeting, she resolved to build the most densely muscled physique ever seen on a female up to that point. A few months later, the IFBB issued a new policy announcement warning that excessive overt muscularity would be marked down, sparking persistent debate over the subjective criteria and "how much is too much". Francis retired afterwards, citing disgust over her controversial loss. She stated in 1993:

You know when I came in as the most muscular competitor at that 1983 Caesar's Palace contest I said I should have been first or last. The same should have applied at the 1991 Ms. Olympia. After being in the lead with only the posing and posedown to go I still can't believe I lost that contest. In my heart and in my mind I can't motivate myself to compete in another bodybuilding contest. The fire for competition is no longer there. I have no bitterness. Bodybuilding gave me a great life and I'm thankful for that. Her 1983 debut in the made-for-film Cesar's World Cup received much attention for potentially pushing the sport in a more muscular direction. Feminist icon Gloria Steinem commented that her performance "redefined the boundaries of femininity".

Contest history 1983 Caesars World Cup – 8th 1984 IFBB Grand Prix Las Vegas – 8th 1986 IFBB Grand Prix Las Vegas – 3rd 1986 IFBB LA Pro Championship – 3rd 1986 IFBB Ms. International – 3rd 1986 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 10th 1987 IFBB Pro World Championship – 1st 1987 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 3rd 1988 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 3rd 1989 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 3rd 1990 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 2nd 1991 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 2nd

Francis was featured in the 2001 TLC documentary The Greatest Bodies.

Personal life At the 1983 Caesars World Cup, Francis met IFBB judge and powerlifter Steve Weinberger. She moved in with him on Long Island, New York and they were married on 30 September 1984. They have a son and daughter together. In 1986, she and her husband opened Bev Francis' Bodybuilding Gym on Long Island. In 1990, they expanded the gym to Bev Francis Gold's Gym in Syosset, New York. In 2005, the gym's name was changed to Powerhouse Gym, Bev Francis. She and her husband lived in Syosset prior to their divorce.

Legacy From 1981 to the early 1990s, Francis earned the accolade of "Strongest Woman in History". She was the first woman in the world to bench press over . She broke over 40 world powerlifting records and was undefeated during her powerlifting career. She was inducted into the International Powerlifting Federation Hall of Fame in 1987.

Francis was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2000. She is also a judge for the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB).