Dana Linn Bailey Wins First Physique Olympia: A FLASH REPORT
By Steve Wennerstrom, IFBB Women's Historian
Las Vegas, Nevada, September 28, 2013: The Las Vegas Convention Center once again played host to many of the activities taking place on this enormous weekend, and one of the most anticipated was the maiden voyage of the newly created Women's Physique division. The build up to this weekend had actually begun as early as 2011 when the first NPC amateur contests were introduced, and here for the first time on the biggest stage in the bodybuilding world 16 contestants would form the nucleus for yet another new breed of Olympia competitor. They truly were the 'Sweet 16'.
Spirited debates, differing philosophies, and a variety of opinions had run rampant over the internet for the past two years as to what this division should offer competitors who ventured into it. A ge
neral criteria had been set, but as followers of this new division soon realized, winners of the various qualifying events differed greatly. Consequently, this field of 16 showed a wide variety of physiques to be put in order at this first-time event. The question still remained – until today - just exactly how the first winner of the Physique Olympia would look.
They Call It The Women's Physique Olympia Showdown
With contestants taking the stage in alphabetical order, competitor number 1 – as it would happen – was Pennsylvanian Dana Linn Bailey. On more than one count, she is one of the best known, if not the most popular Physique competitor with the social media set, in this field. A large majority of the audience on hand was solidly behind her appearance on stage. She also has the distinction of being the first winner of a Physique division contest when she won the NPC Junior USA in 2011. Her familiarity has blossomed ever since. And it came to fruition at just the right time. Was it in the stars? Follow along. She's the first winner of an NPC Physique division contest. A competitor in the first IFBB pro Physique division event. Contestant number 1 in the first Physique Olympia lineup, the first competitor called out in the first prejudging comparison......and what better ending than as the first winner of the Physique Olympia. Does it get any better than that? To say her fans were jubilant would be a massive understatement.
And as fate would have it, contestant number 2 was Georgia's Tycie Coppett. There may be no other competitor in this event who was more surprised and delighted with her placement than Coppett. She had ridden a somewhat bumpy road to reach the Olympia, even though she had all the physical tools to get here in the first place. Back in April she had finished 9th at the LA Grand Prix where fellow Olympians Patricia Mello, Venus Nguyen and Karin Hobbs, among others, had toppled her. To her credit, and after nearly stepping aside from competition completely, she pulled herself up to a r
unner-up finish at the Optimum Classic a month later, and followed that with a victory at the Greater Gulf States. As she stated after her win, “Imagine, little 'ol me in the Ms. O. I can hardly believe it.” She can believe it now, little 'ol Coppett chased Bailey all the way to the finish and cheerfully accepted the runner-up prize money.
Competing only once this year, Sarah Hurrle topped a field of 16 at the Mile High Pro in Denver on June 1st (qualifying her for the Ms. O) before getting back to the business of putting her physique in a state of condition and improvement that would make her competitive at the Olympia. Hurrle is no newcomer to the Physique division as only one of three competitors who have won three career pro Physique events. Last year she won the St. Louis Pro and LA Grand Prix. But if there was an award for 'Most Improved' Hurrle's name needs to be at the top of that list. Here, her back and legs were eye-catchers when last year they simply kept her competitive. In tandem with the rest of her overall look her improvements made her a major player. Her third-place finish was just four points behind Coppett.
Fourth went to another Pennsylvanian – Toni West. As one of the pre-contest favorites she rose to notice after a solid third-place finish at the NY Pro behind Karina Nascimento and winner Juliana Malacarne. Just one week later she made a beeline to Canada to take a unanimous decision at the Toronto Supershow and qualify for the 
Ms. O. Streamlined in her overall structure she also enjoys a strong fan following of her look. As one observer commented at the event, “ Toni has such a pleasing physique. She just looks right.” Many felt she might have finished higher.
Fifth went to the statuesque and exotic Patricia Mello. Another of the great Brazilians, she has been a three-time pro Physique winner taking the 2012 Show of Champions, and earning victories at the LA Grand Prix and Show of Champions this year. Along with Bailey, Coppett, Hurrle and West, Mello filled out the first prejudging call-out. It turned out to be the top five in the final tallies. With an added level of tighter condition along with a minimal addition of size in two body parts, she can easily challenge for a top spot. All Vogue models should look like Patricia Mello.
Rounding out the top six was the energizer bunny Jillian Reville. At seemingly every turn she appears to be enjoying the Physique division ride with a genuinely engaging stage presence. If you don't believe it, not counting the Olympia, Reville competed five times this year to qualify on points. She was the highest finisher of those who missed winning a qualifying contest. Reville, along with Dana Linn Bailey, also make up a great trivia fact as the only two women who have competed in the first NPC Physique Division event, the first IFBB Pro Physique event and the first Physique Olympia.
Outside the top six was seventh-placer Juliana Malacarne. But that is a story that will be explored in much greater depth in an upcoming critique. To 
put it mildly, her second-round call-out was unfortunate and cost her an opportunity to be compared to Bailey, Coppett and Hurrle – a reality that fans would have loved to have seen.
8- Karina Nascimento, Brazil
9- Tamee Marie, USA
10- Karin Hobbs, USA
11- Mikaila Soto, USA
12- Jamie Pinder, USA
13- Sabrina Taylor, USA
14- Valerie Gangi, USA
15- Mindi O'Brien, Canada
16- Venus Nguyen, USA
All the above will also be covered in a more deeply detailed article.
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