The 5 Greatest Female Athletes in History

“A winner is a person that gets up one more time than she is knocked down”

Women these days have the talent and ambition to be leaders. They have access to new and great opportunities that the past generation could not have even imagined. Higher education is no longer just a formality and women are no longer confined to following a career as a nurse or a school teacher. However, they still face challenges that do not seem to apply to their male counterparts. There are major discrepancies in their pay, facilities and exposure. This is why when female athletes rise to challenges and shatter gender stereotypes, they captivate the entire world.

Now if someone says that sports are for boys, then they need to get out more because clearly, the world has passed the mentality. Sports is an industry which is still male-dominated and has a long way to go when it comes to breaking gender barriers but these women have worked hard to change it which makes highlighting these influential women in the field all the more worthwhile.

Here are 5 of the greatest female athletes of all time:

Serena Williams

Serena Jameka Williams is an American professional tennis player, considered one of the best tennis players. She is known for challenging gender roles in sports. She reached number one on the Women’s Tennis Association tour in 2002 and maintained her ranking consistently in the years that followed. Her awards include a total of 39 Grand Slam Titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Serena Williams is an inspiration for young athletes with her long list of achievements and how she talks about body image.

Bethany Hamilton

Bethany Meilani Hamilton-Dirks is an American professional surfer. Her story is one of bravery and determination. Bethany started competitive surfing when she was eight years old. At the age of 13, she lost her left arm in a shark attack and despite this traumatic event, she did not leave surfing. She taught herself how to surf with one arm and won major competitions.

Mia Hamm Mariel

Margaret Hamm-Garciaparra is an American retired professional soccer player. She is considered as a soccer icon and played as a forward for the US national team from 1987 to 2004. Her awards include two times FIFA World Player of the Year, five times Soccer Female Athlete of the Year and three ESPY awards including Soccer Player of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year.

Danica Patrick

Danica Sue Patrick is a retired American racing driver. Danica is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing and she won the 2008 Indy Japan 300, the only win by a woman in an IndyCar Series race. She is listed on the top of feminist sports icons and her greatest achievement, other than her wins is the fact that she was so successful in a male-dominated sport.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Jacqueline Joyner-Kersee is an American retired track and field athlete. She is considered as the greatest athletes in the heptathlon and long jump of all time. Her awards include three gold, one silver and two bronze in Olympics in both the fields. She’s known to be one of the most notable athletes to have suffered and overcome severe asthma.

Conclusion

These women have shown the world that nothing beats talent, hard work and determination. Being a woman does not mean that they have to be weak. There are more female athletes out there that are challenging the stigma of women in sports.