Photos: Paula Crain
Bio: Wikipedia
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Shelley Beattie was a former professional female bodybuilder and actress. At the peak of her competitive career as a professional bodybuilder Shelley managed to reach the top-three at the Ms. International and Ms. Olympia contests, the two most prestigious shows for a female professional bodybuilders. She was also well-known for been one of the few deaf professional female bodybuilders in the world, making the cover of DeafLife magazine twice in the ’90s. After her retirement she joined the Grinder on America3 America’s Cup team and managed to reach second place in such competition in 1994 and again in 1995.
Shelley Ann Beattie was born in Orange County, California, where she at the age of three suffered from severe hearing loss due to overdose of aspirins; the overdose caused her to lose all her ability to hear in one ear and reduced her ability to hear by thirty percent in the other. This event changed her life at an early age. She was raised in California until age 11, when she moved to Oregon. While living in Oregon and going to school experienced a number of problems; all due to her hearing deficiency.
Because of her hearing problems Shelley had trouble socializing at school since she could not communicate with other classmates who thought she was stupid according to her since she could only understand them only if they were facing her. Because of this Beattie became a loner and soon she began to use sports to deal with her frustrations and lack of social life. She would later learn sign language as well as getting several operations and speech therapy to help her deal with her hearing loss.
In school Beattie began to compete in Heptathlon, Cross Country, Hurdles, and 400 yards field events in which she excelled in every one of such competitions. During this time she developed a specialty for the low hurdles in which she developed an impressive reputation in her school for her mastery of such competition and even making some records in her high school. As a standout in heptathlete and cross country in high school, Shelley enjoyed competing in this event since she felt that she did not need to hear to be good at this event. Beattie began lifting weights at age 14, in order to be more competitive at the hurdles and 400s since she wanted to compete against her male track mates since her female competitors were not competitive enough for her and since she noticed that the men lifted weights to be better on track competitions. Lifting was also a method of rebellion for Shelley who knew she would be looked upon differently by others if she developed her body to look different from other girls, she wanted to achieve this. She first began weight training in a small weight training room that her high school had and soon began to seriously follow a strict training regime at age of 15 and soon began to develop her body.
At the age of 16 suffered a severe track accident when she tripped over a hurdle and twisted her ankle. Beattie believed that she would not be able to continued due to the trauma of the injury. Her family life was characterized by instability which added to her anxiety and frustration causing her teenage years to be covered with personal problems. In order to deal with this problems she focused more on her training and began to write songs and even became the lead singer of a traveling band while in high school. In 1984 Shelley began to attend Western Oregon State College in Monmouth, there she decided to focus on weight training and powerlifting in order to make her body stronger, help her deal with her emotional problems, as well as help her heal her body. There she majored in Child Psychology, Special Education, and also studied Jazz dance and choreography while in college. She also joined a dance company to expand her musical talents. She also choreographed dance routines while learning to fully control and express her emotions through dance. During this time Shelley began to compete as an amateur in bodybuilding competitions. At 124 pounds she entered her first competition, the Portland Rose Cup Novice finishing 4th in the heavy-weight class, after this competition Beattie decided that a career as a professional bodybuilder was for her.
Shelley would continue to compete regularly through the late 80s reaching the top-five of every amateur competition she entered and soon began to win every amateur show she competed in. She soon developed a friendly rivalry with Nikki Fuller who she at many times finished second to at the amateur level. But this would soon changed when Beattie teamed-up with Oregon State exercise and physiology graduate Aaron Shelley in 1989. With him she was able to overcome several obstacles to become a transformed bodybuilder in 1990. With significant improvements in her diet and training she managed to take the overall title at the 1990 NPC Emerald Cup, the pacific Coast Championships, and earned her pro card in bodybuilding at age 22 when she won the overall title at the 1990 NPC USA Championship. Afterwards Beattie continued to train heavily to improve her body and continue to have a competitive, professional status meanwhile she worked two forty-hour-a-week positions as a group home counselor for mentally retarded teenagers. She would often spread her workouts day and night in between jobs. If she received a sponsorship by a fitness company, she would leave one position and follow a more normal training schedule.
During her competitive days as a professional she competed at a height of 5 feet 7 inches in a bodyweight of around 144 pounds and soon became known for her great genetics as well her graceful and artistic presentation while competing. Beattie would often thank her genetics and her physical abilities as well by coming from an athletic family: her mother is six feet tall and athletic while her sister is 5 feet 10 inches tall, 180-pound basketball player at Portland State. After winning the 1990 NPC USA and turning pro she found herself in some problems with the politics of bodybuilding federation known as the IFBB since she was unable to compete at the 1990 Ms. Olympia after the her USA victory. She also was unhappy when some contest promises were not fulfilled. Beattie said, “Certain benefits and reimbursements from the USA that I was supposed to receive have never happened. I have made the proper people so I’m hoping that one day they will fulfill their obligations.” After missing the 1990 Ms. Olympia she competed for the first time as a professional for the first time at the 1991 Ms. International where she finished 3rd. The same year she Managed to reach 7th at the Ms. Olympia. The next year in 1992 she added more poise and grace to her physique and presentation and managed to finish 3rd, her highest achievement in her competitive days.
During the early 1990s she also joined the American Gladiators TV show as “Siren” and stayed with them for several seasons. She retired from competition after the 1993 Ms. Olympia contest after placing 7th in that competition. After her retirement from bodybuilding, Beattie competed as a “grinder” on the America³ sailing team (the first all-women’s America’s Cup team) in this competition she manged the runner-up spot on two different occasions in 1994 and again in 1995. Beattie is probably best known for her years as “Siren” on the American Gladiators TV series. Due to her hearing loss, she received visual cues from referee Larry Thompson as well as from fellow Gladiator, Salina “Elektra” Bartunek, while competing, and spectators would wave at her or stomp their feet (rather than applauding) to acknowledge her performances. She was married to John Romano, a well-known columnist for Muscular Development magazine for six years.
Until her death Shelley lived on her own in Oregon, working with physically impaired people. She also made drums and jewelry, and worked as a personal trainer near her home town.
Shelley Beattie, who had long battled with bipolar disorder committed suicide in Portland, Oregon on February 13, 2008
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