The Greatest Female Athletes Of All Time
Female athletes, more often than not, find themselves overshadowed by their male counterparts. While men’s professional sports leagues have existed for over a century, women’s sports have always struggled to gain a foothold — not to mention funding — in mainstream sporting culture.
Despite these challenges, female athletes have become more and more prominent in recent decades, with women in a diverse range of sports — from Olympic competition to team sports — becoming household names for their athletic achievements.
Serena Williams (Tennis)
The world of women’s tennis has seen no shortage of generational stars (some of whom we’ll get to in a moment), but most would agree that Serena Williams is either the best to ever play the game, or at least belongs in the pantheon.
Williams captured her first Grand Slam title in 1999 and over the coming decade helped to revolutionize the game. Her rivalry with her sister Venus made for much-watch tennis for years on end. In 2017, she capped off her remarkable career with a win at the Australian Open while she was eight weeks pregnant.
Simone Biles (Gymnastics)
Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, has over 30 Olympic and World Championship medals to her name. Some of her moves are so difficult and so unprecedented that they were named after her.
This innovative style helped to shape gymnastics, as Biles’ technical mastery and strength gave her competitors a new high water mark to strive toward. Her legacy extends to her advocacy as well, as Biles opted to sit out of events and prioritize her mental health at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Track & Field)
Regarded by most as the greatest female track and field athlete of all time, Jackie Joyner-Kersee racked up three Olympic gold medals, along with one silver and two bronze, between 1984 and 1996. This demonstrated not just dominance over a long period of time, but also the versatility to excel in both the heptathlon and long jump.
Joyner-Kersee’s achievements are all the more remarkable considering her lifelong struggle with asthma. Off the track, she became an athlete for youth education and athletics through her charitable foundation.
Martina Navratilova (Tennis)
Czech tennis star Martina Navratilova achieved an incredible 59 Grand Slam titles in her venerable career, spanning singles, doubles, and mixed doubles competition. Navratilova set a new standard for aggressive play in the women’s game during her peak in the ’70s and ’80s.
It’s also worth noting that Navratilova was a fearless trailblazer, as she came out as gay during a time when it was professionally risky to do so. Her continued advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights helped to cement her status as an icon.
Billie Jean King (Tennis)
Billie Jean King’s tennis career speaks for itself, as she won 39 Grand Slam titles, but she’ll always be best remembered for her 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” against Bobby Riggs.
In front of a massive crowd at Houston’s Astrodome, King beat Riggs to the astonishment of many. She went on to fight tirelessly for equal prize money and played an instrumental role in founding the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). She also played a role in passing Title IX, which transformed women’s sports in the United States.
Mia Hamm (Soccer)
It’s no exaggeration to say that Mia Hamm, more than anyone else, deserves the credit for putting women’s soccer on the map. During the 1990s and early 2000s, she helped the U.S. women’s team win two World Cups and two Olympic gold medals, with her most iconic moment coming at the 1999 World Cup.
The final came down to a penalty shootout, with Hamm scoring the pivotal goal and celebrating by ripping her shirt off and revealing her sports bra, a moment that became immediately iconic. The game was attended by more than 90,000 people and held the record for the largest U.S. television audience for a soccer match until 2014.
Babe Didrikson Zaharias (Multiple Sports)
Babe Didrikson Zaharias became a notable sportswoman in the early 20th century — an impressive feat considering the lack of infrastructure and funding for women’s sports at the time. She first made a name for herself for her track and field skills, winning three medals at the 1932 Olympics.
Later on, Didrikson Zaharias looked to the world of women’s golf, winning 10 major championships and helping found the LPGA. She also dabbled in basketball, baseball, billiards, and more, showing a natural knack for virtually every sport she tried.
Lindsey Vonn (Alpine Skiing)
Lindsey Vonn became the most decorated female skier in American history, and one of the most successful in the world, thanks to her 82 World Cup wins — just shy of the all-time record.
In all, she dominated the world of alpine skiing for over a decade. Despite battling serious injuries throughout her career — including broken bones and torn ligaments — Vonn was still able to achieve significant success at both the World Cup and Olympic Games.
Steffi Graf (Tennis)
To date, Steffi Graf remains the only tennis player in history to win the Golden Slam, which refers to winning not just all four Grand Slam titles in a single year, but also Olympic gold in the same calendar year. When she retired, she had 22 Grand Slam singles titles to her name.
Graf’s dominance is self-evident, as she was once ranked number one in the world for a record 377 consecutive weeks — a span of more than seven years. Later in her career, she engaged in rivalries with up-and-coming stars like Monica Seles and Serena Williams.
Ronda Rousey (MMA/Judo)
Ronda Rousey was the first woman signed to UFC and quickly became the sport’s first bantamweight champion. This came after an Olympic career in which she won a bronze medal in judo at the 2008 Olympics — making her the first American woman to medal in the event.
While Rousey’s popularity took a hit following two devastating back-to-back losses, her status as a trailblazer in women’s combat sports cannot be denied. Her successful transition to a WWE wrestling career is further proof of her magnetic popularity.
Florence Griffith Joyner (Track & Field)
Known to most as “Flo-Jo,” Florence Griffith Joyner won three gold medals and one silver at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, setting records and captivating audiences in the process.
Griffith Joyner was a mercurial star, one who became a household name thanks not only to her blistering speed, but also her unique fashion sense. While her career was short and marred by unproven doping allegations, she’s still fondly remembered in the world of track and field.
Cheryl Miller (Basketball)
Cheryl Miller became known as a basketball legend in the ’80s, an impressive accomplishment considering the development of women’s pro basketball in the United States was still years away.
While Miller unfortunately never got a chance to play in the WNBA, her collegiate dominance at USC and gold medal win at the 1984 Olympics helped to cement her legacy. Her brother Reggie, who’s regarded as one of the best NBA players ever, credited his older sister with helping him become the player he became.
Danica Patrick (Auto Racing)
Danica Patrick broke down barriers in perhaps the most male-dominated sport of all: Auto racing. In 2008, she became the first woman to win an IndyCar Series race and also became the highest-finishing woman ever at the Indianapolis 500 after finishing in third.
After transitioning to NASCAR competition, Patrick became the first woman to win a pole position at the Daytona 500. Patrick’s pioneering career deserves credit for bringing new fans to auto racing and opening the door for more women in motorsports.
Katie Ledecky (Swimming)
American swimmer Katie Ledecky first burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old at the 2012 London Olympics, where she won the 800m freestyle in stunning fashion. Since then, she’s become a force, shattering world records and dominating events.
Ledecky’s discipline and consistency have made her nearly unbeatable in the 800m and 1500m events. Her work ethic extends outside of the pool as well, as she excelled academically and graduated from Stanford.
Nadia Comăneci (gymnastics)
Perfection is difficult to achieve anywhere, least of all in the sporting world, but at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Romanian prodigy Nadia Comăneci achieved gymnastic perfection.
Comăneci, aged just 14, became the first gymnast ever to score a perfect 10 – and then she did so six more times during the Games, for a total of seven perfect 10s. Needless to say, she dominated the competition and won three gold medals. Later, in 1989, she defected from Romania to live in the United States.
