The Baddest Female Athletes Of Modern Sports

• Fun fact: She won her first competition at only 9 years old
• Did you know: She has a cross tattoo on her left hand in honor of her brother

• Family: She is the daughter of two-time Olympic champion Garth Pischke, who played with the Canada’s men’s national volleyball team, and of Canadian Junior National team athlete and three-time CIS National Champion Cindy Shepherd.
• Other occupations: 
  • Was the advocate of the Dove campaign “My Beauty My Say” in 2016
  • She is a student in the Faculty of Science at the University of Manitoba

• Relationship: Married to American professional golfer Rickie Fowler
• Other occupations: Fitness model since 2015

• Did you know: In 2015, she was part of the AskMen’s Top 99 Most Outstanding Women
• Other occupations: She has a degree in marketing from Arizona State University

• Relationship: 
  • Married to former US Ski team athlete Thomas Vonn (2007-2011)
  • Dated golfer Tiger Woods (2012-2015)
  • Dated NFL assistant coach Kenan Smith (2016-2017)
  • Engaged to defenseman hockey player P.K. Subban (2018-2020)
• Other occupations: 
  • As of 2014, she owned a small herd of cows on a farm in Austria

• Family: She is the half-niece of professional golfer Tiger Woods
• Did you know: In the history of the LPGA, there have only been six black female professional golfers, including Woods.

• Fun fact: She wears the number 21 in honor of former American player Cammi Granato.
• Other occupations: She loves to ski. She actually comes from a family of skiers, her cousin being Chip Knight, 3 times Olympic champion in alpine skiing.

• Other occupations: Author of the memoir book Fierce: How competing for myself changed everything (2017)
• Media appearances:
  • Appeared in the 2017 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
  • Did a cameo in the Charlie’s Angels reboot movie in 2019
  • Participated in the TV shows Dancing with the Stars (2013), Lip Sync Battle (2016) and Dear… (2020)
  • Appeared in the music video Girls Like You from Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B

• Greatest achievements:
  • Won a bronze medal at the 2008 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship
  • Won a silver medal at the 2012 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship
  • Won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro
  • Won a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo

• Fun fact: She grew up playing soccer, but also track and field, basketball and volleyball
• Did you know: She graduated from the University of Michigan in Psychology in 2014

• Relationship: Married to former NBA basketball player David Lee
• Did you know:
  • In 2018, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis
  • On February 10, 2021, she announced that she was expecting her first child

• Relationship: Engaged to British businessman Alexander Gilkes
• Other occupations: 
  • Created the Maria Sharapova Foundation
  • Author of her autobiography Unstoppable: My Life So Far (2017)
  • Created Sugarpova, a premium candy line, alongside Jeff Rubin, founder of international retailer IT’SUGAR

• Relationship: Engaged to entrepreneur and Onnit founder Aubrey Marcus
• Other occupations: 
  • Won the Miss United States title in 2012
  • Former professional Wakesurfer
  • Former MMA’s Jiu-Jitsu Brazilian fighter
  • Fitness Model
  • Reporter for Glory Kickboxing
  • Relationship coach, confidence mindset coach and 1 on 1 couples coach
  • Host of the True Sex and Wild Love podcast

• Studies: Owns a mechatronics degree from Sydney University (combination of mechanical and electric engineering)
• Other occupations: 
  • A video of her dancing during her warm-up before her 100m hurdles at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Athletics in Barcelona went viral on YouTube, accumulating more than 19 million views in one week, also doing the Tonight Show.
  • Model (appeared, among others, in the 2013 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue

• Relationship: Married to soccer player Servando Carrasco
• Other occupations: 
  • Co-author of the four-book series The Kicks (the two first books were released in 2013)
  • Appeared in several TV shows, films and music videos

• Did you know: In 2017, she was named European Athletics Rising Star of the Yearby EA
• Outstanding success: In 2017, in London, at the age of only 19, she was named high jump vice world champion

• Relationship: In a relationship with singer Enrique Iglesias since 2001
• Other occupations: 
  • Trainer for season 12 of the TV show The Biggest Loser
  • Global ambassador for the Population Services International’s “Five & Alive” program

• Relationship: Married to former MLB pitcher Casey Daigle
• Other occupations:
  • Became an ESPN expert commentator for National Pro Fastpitch and college softball games
  • Author of Throw Like a Girl: How to Dream Big and Believe in Yourself (2011)

• Relationship: Married to former American football player Jerramy Stevens
• Other occupations: 
  • Representative of the Women’s Sports Foundation
  • Author of her autobiography Solo: A Memoir of Hope (2012)

• Relationship: 
  • Married to physical therapist Paul Edward Hospenthal (2005-2013)
  • Dated NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2012-2017)
  • Dated NFL quarterback for the Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers (2018-2020)
• Other occupations:
  • Host of several TV Shows on Spike
  • Appeared in various TV shows and music videos
  • Driving instructor on set of the movie Charlie’s Angels (2019)
  • Owns her own wine brand, Somnium

• Relationship: Married to American sprinter and hurdler Kenneth Ferguson
• Other occupations: She’s become an advocate for “the inequalities facing Black pregnant women and the Black maternal mortality rate”.

• Relationship:
  • Now single
  • Was married to American professional wrestler Bo Dallas until 2019
• Other occupations: She now works as a real estate broker

• Relationship: Married to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian
• Other occupations: 
  • Part-Owner of the professional American football team Miami Dolphins since 2009
  • Certified nail technician since 2010
  • CSO for British luxury automobile manufacturer Aston Martin
  • Par of the Board of Directors at SurveyMonkey
  • Made several appearances in TV shows and movies, including Trust Us with Your Life and Drop Dead Diva in 2012 and Ocean’s 8 in 2018

• Relationship: Married to former U.S. Armed Forces amateur boxing champion Joshua Gomez
• Other occupations: Model and UFC competitor

• Relationship: Married to her long-time boyfriend Daniel Smith
• Other occupations: She has a degree from Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business

• Relationship: Dating Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph
• Did you know: In 2015, she was named #1 on SportsPro’s list of World’s 50 Most Marketable Athletes

• Fun fact: In 2016, the Mattel, Inc. company created a Barbie Gymnast doll in her effigy
• Other occupations: 
  • Author of Grace, Gold, and Glory: My Leap of Faith (2012)
  • Author of Raising The Bar (2013)
  • Reality TV star in Douglas Family Gold (2016)

• Relationship: Married to Jonnie West (Director of Basketball Operations for the Golden State Warriors)
• Did you know: 
  • She was only 10 years old when she qualified for a USGA amateur championship, making her the youngest player to accomplish this feat.
  • Since the beginning of her career, she has been subject to several controversies, including her performances at men’s events, the sudden dismissal of her caddie in 2006 and an alleged wrist injury in 2007.

• Relationship: Married to MLS player Dom Dwyer
• Fun fact: Before playing soccer, Leroux played baseball for 10 years, following in the footsteps of his parents, her mother having played third base for the Canadian national softball team, and her father being former professional baseball player Ray Chadwick.

• Relationship: In a relationship with Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Anthony Chickillo
• Did you know: She started her athletic career in gymnastics, but had to quit at the age of 13 due to an injury to her lower back vertebra.

• Relationship: Married to Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz
• Fun fact: She and her national team are the first female soccer players to be included in an EA Sports’ FIFA video game series. They have been in every game since FIFA 16.

• Relationship: Engaged to former NFL cornerback William Gay
• Other occupation: She has a YouTube channel on which she shares behind the scene footage of her races, training and preparation. She also has a video series called “Tea Time”, in which she discusses various topics with guests, ranging from dating to mental preparation.

• Did you know: She now lives in Miami Beach, Florida, USA, but was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
• Other occupations:
  • Model
  • Fitness expert

• Relationship: Engaged to hockey player Alexander Bonsaken
• Did you know: Before specializing in snowboarding, she was an avid handball player. According to NBC Sports, she could have made it a professional career!

• Greatest achievements:
  • Won a gold medal at the 2011 European Indoor Championships in Paris
  • Won a gold medal at the 2013 European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg
  • Won a gold medal at the 2013 Universiade in Kazan
  • Won a bronze medal at the 2014 European Championships in Zürich
  • Won a silver medal at the 2017 World Championships in London

• Did you know: Since 2017, Klishina has been competing as an authorized neutral athlete, i.e., a Russian athlete, approved by the IAAF at her own request, to compete without national affiliation under a neutral banner
• Fun fact: In 2018, the athlete put her career on hold to focus on her studies

• Greatest achievements:
  • 2-time NCAA women’s long-drive champion
  • Won the 2010 Big Break: Dominican Republic

• Relationship: Married to PetSmart Senior Director of Finance, Jeff Keiser
• Did you know: She is also a model and a Gold Channel personnality. Among other things, she appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition magazine three years in a row, from 2011 to 2013.

• Greatest achievements:
  • Won a bronze medal at the 2015 European Junior Championships
  • Won 2 bronze medals at the 2018 Mediterranean Games in Tarragona
  • Won a gold medal at the 2018 Spanish Indoor Championships in Valencia
  • Won a bronze medal at the 2019 Spanish Indoor Championships in Antequera
  • Won a gold medal at the 2020 Spanish Indoor Championships in Ourense
  • Won a gold medal at the 2021 Spanish Indoor Championships in Madrid
  • Participated in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo

• Fun fact: She started her studies in nursing, but put them on hold to participate in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo
• Did you know: Her parents are of Senegalese origin and immigrated to Spain the year before her birth

• Greatest achievements:
  • Won first place at the 2013 US Open, defeating former world No. 1 player Caroline Wozniacki
  • Won first place at the 2013 Indian Wells Open, defeating former world No. 1 player Maria Sharapova
  • Won first place at the 2013 Eastbourne International, defeating former world No. 1 player Victoria Azarenka

• Did you know: Before turning to tennis, Giorgi was more interested in artistic gymnastics
• Fun fact: Her father coaches her, and her mother designs the dresses she wears for matches

• Relationship: Married to lawyer Olu Evans since 2016
• Fun fact: At the age of 19, she had not yet gone through puberty, so her doctors decided to put her on birth control. Due to the hormones in the pills, she gained 10 pounds and was no longer considered “petite” for her industry.

• Did you know: She held the world record for the most international goals until her fellow teammate, Abby Wambach, broke her record
• Fun fact: She founded the Mia Hamm Foundation, which is dedicated to bone marrow research

She suffered an ACL injury that forced her to take the season off from playing on her college team

• Did you know: She was named one of the most muscular women on Instagram in November 2021
• Fun fact: She began her career by competing in aero-gymnastics at the age of 17

• Relationship: Married to UFC fighter Travis Browne
• Other occupations:
  • Author of autobiography My Fight / Your Fight (2015)
  • She has landed roles in various films and TV series such as The Expendables 3 (2014), Furious 7 (2015) and Mile 22 (2018)

• Relationship: 
  • Dated golfer Hank Kuehne (2007-2010)
  • Dated Cuban model Elio Pis (2012-2015)
  • Dated publishing heir Nicholas Hammond (2017-2019)
• Other occupations: 
  • CEO of her interior design firm V Starr Interiors
  • Created her own fashion line, EleVen, with retailer Steve & Barry’s in 2007
  • Part-Owner of the professional American football team Miami Dolphins since 2009
  • Co-author of Come to Win; on How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession (2010)

• Did you know: She began her career by modeling
• Fun fact: Her workouts are consistently published in the Muscle and Fitness magazine

• Relationship: Married to the triple jumper Mario Lowe
• Did you know: She underwent a double mastectomy following a diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer received in 2019. In 2021, she received the NCAA Inspiration Award for continuing to share her story while raising awareness and providing hope for others.

• Did you know: She began racing as soon as she was old enough at the age of 15
• Fun fact: She began learning how to ski at the age of two years old

• Fun fact: Before becoming a professional surfer, she was a national champion winning middle distance runner
• Did you know: She is a great fan of sports. She particularly supports the NRL’s St George Illawarra Dragons rugby team, and the ALF’s Geelong Cats team.

• Relationship: Married to Croatian basketball player Marko Sandrić
• Other occupations: She focuses on her athletic career. She has received many modelling offers—after all, she was named the most beautiful female competitor at the 2012 Summer Olympics by Bleacher Report!—, but turned them all down.

• Relationship: Married to professional MMA’s fighter Austin “The Gentleman” Vanderford
• Other occupations: 
  • Author of Rise: Surviving the Fight of My Life (2018)
  • Modeled for Nike and Columbia Sportswear
  • Participated in television competitions Dancing with the Stars and Chopped

• Did you know: She attended Stanford University where she set the school record for the 1000 yard freestyle
• Fun fact: She wons 7 Olympic gold medals and 3 silver medals

• Relationship: Dating professional American football player Jonathan Owens
• Other occupations:
  • Co-author of the autobiography Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance
  • Competed on season 24 of Dancing with the Stars

• Did you know: After she suffered from a shark attack, she lost around 60% of her blood, but vowed to return to the sport after she healed
• Fun fact: She returned to surfing just one month after her attack

• Did you know: She’s the only boxer in history, male or female, to hold all four major world titles in boxing (WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO) simultaneously and in two weight classes
• Fun fact: She has only had one loss throughout her entire career

• Relationship: Married to author Glennon Doyle
• Other occupations:
  • Did philanthropic work for the Epilepsy Foundation and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
  • Author of autobiography Forward (2016), and of the book Wolfpack: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power and Change the Game (2019)

• Did you know: There were no girls’ soccer teams where she grew up, so she ended up playing on a boys’ team with her twin sister
• Fun fact: