In this post, we listed the top 5 female athletes in no particular order. These women have not only shattered records and achieved greatness in their respective sports, but they have also inspired generations of girls to dream big and strive for excellence. We take a look at the careers and accomplishments of the most outstanding female athletes of all time. So sit back, relax, and join us as we honor these incredible women who have left an indelible mark on the world of sports.
Simone Biles (Gymnastics)
Simone Biles is an American artistic gymnast. She is widely considered to be one of the greatest gymnasts of all time and has won numerous Olympic and World Championship medals, including five Olympic gold medals and fifteen World Championship medals. Biles is known for her impressive skill and athleticism, as well as her creativity and artistry on the apparatus. She is the most decorated American gymnast and has won numerous awards and accolades throughout her career, including being named the United States Olympic Committee’s Female Olympic Athlete of the Year in 2016 and 2018.
Achievements:
- Winning 25 medals at the Olympic Games, World Championships, and World Cup, making her the most decorated American gymnast and the fourth most decorated gymnast of all time
- Winning a total 19 Olympic and World Championship gold medals, the most by any gymnast
- Winning four gold medals at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, becoming the first female gymnast to do so since 1984
- Winning a record-tying six gold medals at the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany
- She won the all-around title at the World Championships in 2013, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19 and 21 .
In addition to her competitive achievements, Biles is also known for her athleticism and artistic ability on the floor exercise, where she has introduced several new skills that have been named after her.
Elena Delle Donne (Basketball)
Elena Delle Donne is an American professional basketball player. She currently plays for the Chicago Sky in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and is a two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player (MVP). Delle Donne is known for her scoring ability and versatility as a player, and she has won numerous awards and accolades throughout her career, including being named to the All-WNBA First Team five times.
Achievements:
- WNBA MVP: Delle Donne won the WNBA MVP award in 2015 while playing for the Chicago Sky. She become first player to win MVP in their first season with a team.
- WNBA Scoring Champion: Delle Donne has led the league in scoring on three occasions, in 2015, 2018 and 2020.
- WNBA Rookie of the Year: Delle Donne won the WNBA Rookie of the Year award in 2013, after being drafted 2nd overall by the Chicago Sky.
- All-WNBA selections: Delle Donne has been named to the All-WNBA first team six times, and to the All-WNBA second team once.
- Olympic Gold Medal: Delle Donne was part of the US Women’s Basketball team that won the gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
- NCAA National Player of the Year: While playing college basketball at the University of Delaware, Delle Donne was named the NCAA National Player of the Year in 2012.
- NCAA scoring leader: She led the NCAA in scoring while playing at the University of Delaware and set several records in the process.
Delle Donne is considered as one of the most complete players in the WNBA, with a shooting touch, ball handling and post play that makes her an unique player and a powerful force in the basketball court. In addition to her success on the court. Delle Donne is also an advocate for various causes, including the inclusion of people with disabilities in sports.
Katie Ledecky (Swimming)
Katie Ledecky is an American competitive swimmer. She is one of the most successful and decorated swimmers in history, having won five Olympic gold medals and 15 World Championship gold medals. At age 15, she was the youngest athlete on 2012 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team. Ledecky is known for her endurance and versatility, as she has set world records in a variety of events ranging from the 400-meter freestyle to the 1500-meter freestyle. She has also won numerous national and international accolades, including being named the World Swimmer of the Year four times by Swimming World Magazine.
Achievements :
- Setting multiple world records: Ledecky has set world records in the 800-meter freestyle, the 1500-meter freestyle, and the 400-meter freestyle.
- Winning multiple Olympic gold medals: Ledecky has won 5 Olympic gold medals in her career, she won in 800m freestyle at London 2012 and in 4 events in Rio 2016, the 200m,400m, 800m and 4x200m freestyle.
- Winning multiple World Championship titles: Ledecky has won 14 World Championship titles and set many world records over various distances.
- Winning multiple NCAA titles: Ledecky won NCAA titles while swimming for Stanford University.
- Winning multiple US National titles: Ledecky has won numerous US National titles, including at the US National Championships and US Open.
- Winning multiple ESPY Awards: Ledecky has won multiple ESPY Awards, including the award for Best Female Athlete.
She is considered one of the best female swimmers in history, with record on her name and a big haul of medals in Olympic and World Championship.
Megan Rapinoe (Soccer)
Megan Rapinoe is an American soccer player who currently plays as a winger for the Seattle Reign FC in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and is a co-captain of the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT). She is known for her skill as a player, as well as her leadership on and off the field. Rapinoe has won numerous awards and accolades throughout her career, including the Golden Ball and Golden Boot at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where she helped lead the USWNT to victory.
She is widely regarded as one of the top players in the world and has had a highly successful career both at the club and international levels.
Achievements :
- Winning the Women’s World Cup with the USWNT in 2011 and 2019
- Being named the Women’s World Cup Golden Ball winner (awarded to the best player of the tournament) in 2019
- Winning the Women’s World Cup Golden Boot award (awarded to the top scorer of the tournament) in 2019
- Being named the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year in 2019
- Winning the SheBelieves Cup with the USWNT in 2018, 2019, and 2020
- Winning the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Shield (awarded to the team with the best regular season record) with the Seattle Reign FC in 2014 and 2015
- Being named the NWSL Most Valuable Player in 2014
- Winning the Golden Boot award in the NWSL in 2014 and 2015
In addition to her soccer career, Rapinoe is also an activist and advocate for a variety of causes, including LGBTQ+ rights and racial justice.
Serena Williams (Tennis)
Serena Williams is an American professional tennis player. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time and has won numerous Grand Slam titles and Olympic medals throughout her career. Williams has been ranked world No. 1 in women’s singles tennis by the Women’s Tennis Association on eight occasions.
Achievements :
- She has won 39 Grand Slam titles in the Open Era. This is the most of any player in the Open Era and is tied for the most of all time with Australian player Margaret Court. Williams has won 23 singles titles, the most in the Open Era and the second-most in history, and 16 doubles titles, which is also the most in the Open Era and the second-most of all time. Williams has won at least one Grand Slam title in each of the four major tournaments (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open) and has a total of 73 Grand Slam titles (including both singles and doubles) in her career. This is more than any other player in the history of professional tennis, male or female.
- Winning four Olympic gold medals, one in singles and three in doubles
- Holding the No. 1 ranking in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for 319 weeks, the most of any player in history
- Winning the WTA Tour Championships a record five times
- Being named the WTA Player of the Year a record seven times
- Being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2020.
In addition to these accomplishments, Williams has also had a successful career as a professional athlete off the court, including endorsement deals and appearances in television and film. Williams is also known for her charitable work and her role as a spokesperson and advocate for various causes.
It’s difficult to definitively say who the top 5 female athletes in the world are, as it largely depends on how you define “top” and personal opinions can vary. Kindly comment below who do you think should be added on the list?
March 31, 2023
[…] part 2 of our series on the top 5 female athletes of all time, we continue to explore the inspiring stories and incredible accomplishments of some of […]