Laura Creavalle


Laura Cordelia Creavalle is a Guyanese-born Canadian/American professional female bodybuilder.

Early life and education

Laura Creavalle was born in 1959 in British Guiana. She migrated to Canada at the age of 13. She attended both Industrial High School and Mercy College.

Bodybuilding career

Amateur

During a 1982 trip to Kingston, Jamaica, Creavalle happened upon a women’s bodybuilding contest and was impressed that the competitor who placed third had a body type similar to hers – a lower body proportionally larger than the upper body. Upon returning to her home in Toronto, Ontario, she began training to become a bodybuilder. Six months later, she entered her first contest, the Novice Ontario Championships, and won the lightweight title. In 1983, she and training partner Tony Melville joined poses and took second place at the Canadian Couples Championships. A trip to California further stimulated her interest, which resulted in her relocating. In 1986, she won the NPC USA Championships. She earned her pro card by winning the heavyweight class at the 1988 IFBB World Amateur Championships in Puerto Rico.

Professional

In 1988, Creavalle made her pro debut six weeks later at the 1988 Ms. Olympia contest, a contest to which she would return 12 more times before her retirement. During her pro career, her home country would appear as both Canada and the United States in the competition scorecard. She was runner-up twice at the Ms. Olympia and won three Ms. International titles.

Retirement

After coming in 6th at the 2002 Ms. Olympia, Creavalle retired from bodybuilding.

Legacy

Creavalle was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2007. Currently, she is the most successful bodybuilder of Guyanese descent in the world.

Contest history

Now retired from competition, she operates Club Creavalle Training Camp, offering personal training, nutrition training, and related services. She also has written two cook books, A Taste of Club Creavalle and The Lite Lifestyle: 150 Ultra Low Calorie Recipes for Rapid Weight Loss!. She also co-authored The Health Handbook with former husband Chris Aceto. Laura has been a feature editor for Muscle & Fitness magazine on low fat cooking in the Muscle Fare column.
She has remarried since December 2000 to Colin Maragh, who both now currently live in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, sells healthy meals through their company, Healthy Gourmet Express, which provides customers with weekly deliveries of 10 meals.