In 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 the most dominant champions in sports history. From groundbreaking pioneers to record-breaking trailblazers, these women have made their mark on the world of athletics and beyond.
We will discuss the achievements and legacies of athletes such as Allyson Felix , Mikaela Shiffrin, Li Na, Katelyn Ohashi, Danica Patrick and reveal how they have shaped their respective sports and impacted the world at large.
Don’t miss out on this exciting and informative episode of our series, “Dominant Champions: Top 5 Female Athletes of All Time – Part 2”. Read, share and join us on this journey of discovery and inspiration!
Again, we will be presenting this new set of top 5 female more athletes in no particular order.
Allyson Felix (Track and Field)
Allyson Felix is an American track and field athlete who specializes in the 200-meter and 400-meter sprints. She is one of the most successful and decorated track and field athletes in history. Felix is known for her speed and versatility, and she has set numerous world records throughout her career.
Achievements
- Most decorated woman in World Championship history: Felix has won 9 gold medals in total and the most by any woman in history at World Championship.
- Most decorated female American Olympian: Felix has won 6 Olympic medals in total, including 4 gold medals, the most of any female track and field athlete in US history.
- Olympic Gold Medalist: Felix has won gold medals in the 4x400m relay in the past three Olympics, Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016.
- World Champion: Felix has won multiple gold medals in World Championship events, including the 400m, 200m, and 4x400m relay.
- American record holder in the 200m: Felix holds the American record in the 200m, with a time of 21.34 seconds.
- ESPY Award Winner: Felix has won multiple ESPY Awards for Best Female Track and Field Athlete.
- Laureus World Sports Awards: Felix won the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award in 2019
Allyson Felix is widely considered as one of the greatest female track and field athletes of all time and accomplished a lot in her career, she was a dominant force in sprinting for many years and has accumulated an impressive haul of medals in major competitions, including Olympics and World Athletics Championships.
In addition to her success on the track, Felix is also an advocate for various causes, including gender equality in sports.
Mikaela Shiffrin (Skiing)
Mikaela Shiffrin is an American alpine ski racer. She is one of the most successful ski racers in history, having won four World Cup overall titles, four Olympic medals, and six World Championship medals. Shiffrin is known for her technical skill and competitiveness, and she has won numerous awards and accolades throughout her career.
- World Cup overall champion: Shiffrin has won the World Cup overall championship on 4 occasions, in 2013–14, 2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19.
- World Cup discipline champion: Shiffrin has won a number of World Cup discipline championships, in slalom and giant slalom.
- Olympic Gold Medal: Shiffrin won the gold medal in the slalom event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, making her the youngest slalom gold medalist in Olympic history, at 18 years old.
- World Champion: Shiffrin has won 5 World Championship in total and 4 in slalom.
- Youngest-ever World Cup winner: Shiffrin became the youngest-ever winner of a World Cup race when she won a slalom race in Åre, Sweden in December 2011, at the age of 15 years, 9 months.
- US Ski Team Female Athlete of the Year: Shiffrin has been named the US Ski Team Female Athlete of the Year multiple times.
Shiffrin is considered one of the most accomplished and dominant skiers of her generation, her achievements are impressive, With multiple World Cup and Olympic medals, as well as being the youngest to win a World Cup race at the age of 15, she is considered to be one of the all-time greatest skiers.
In addition to her success on the slopes, Shiffrin is also known for her philanthropic work and her role as a spokesperson for various causes.
Katelyn Ohashi (Gymnastics)
Katelyn Ohashi is a former American artistic gymnast and current NCAA artistic gymnast. She is best known for her performances with the UCLA Bruins gymnastics team, where she became a viral sensation for her energetic and innovative floor routines. Ohashi is known for her artistic expression and athleticism on the floor, and she has won numerous awards and accolades throughout her career, including being named the Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year in 2019.
Achievements of Katelyn Ohashi
- NCAA National Champion: Ohashi won the NCAA Women’s gymnastics all-around national title in 2019, for the University of California, Los Angeles.
- Viral Floor Routine: Ohashi’s floor routine at the 2019 NCAA gymnastics championship received widespread attention on social media, and the video of her performance has been viewed millions of times on YouTube.
- Perfect 10 Routine: Ohashi’s routine earned a perfect 10.0 score from all judges, a very rare event in gymnastics.
- U.S. Classic champion: Ohashi has won US Classic meet in 2018, a prestigious meet that gathers the best gymnasts in the country.
- American Cup champion: Ohashi has won American Cup in 2013, a very competitive international meet that feature gymnasts from all around the world.
- Pac-12 Conference Gymnast of the Year: Ohashi won the award in 2018 and 2019, the best gymnast in the Pac-12 Conference.
Ohashi is known for her high-energy, dynamic floor routines and for her ability to combine acrobatic skill with expressive choreography. Her viral floor routine in 2019 brought her to national attention and made her a fan favorite in the gymnastics community. Though she retired from elite gymnastics in 2021, she still continues to inspire people with her story, her talent, and her message.
In addition to her success in gymnastics, Ohashi is also an advocate for various causes, including body positivity and mental health awareness.
Li Na (Tennis)
Li Na is a former Chinese professional tennis player. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential female tennis players in the history of the sport. Li won nine singles titles and two doubles titles throughout her career, and she reached a career-high ranking of world No. 2 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings. She is known for her powerful and aggressive playing style and has won numerous awards and accolades throughout her career.
Achievements of Li Na
- Grand Slam champion: Li Na won two Grand Slam singles titles, the 2011 French Open and 2014 Australian Open, becoming the first Asian player to win a Grand Slam singles title.
- WTA Tour Rankings: Li Na was ranked world No. 2 in the WTA rankings, her highest ranking in her career.
- WTA Elite Trophy champion: Li Na won the WTA Elite Trophy in 2014, an end-of-the-season tournament that includes the top-performing players of the year.
- Asian Games gold medalist: Li Na won the gold medal in the women’s singles event at the 2010 Asian Games, held in Guangzhou, China.
- Fed Cup Heart Award: Li Na won the Fed Cup Heart Award in 2010, given to the player who demonstrates exceptional sportsmanship and dedication to the Fed Cup.
- International Tennis Hall of Fame: Li Na was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2018.
Her achievements on the court, and her charismatic personality, made her a trailblazer for tennis in Asia and a huge inspiration to many young players.
Danica Patrick (Racing)
Danica Patrick is a former American racing driver. She is best known for her success in IndyCar racing and is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing. Patrick made history in 2005 when she became the first woman to lead laps in the Indianapolis 500, and she has won numerous awards and accolades throughout her career.
- Being named the Rookie of the Year in both the Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series.
- IndyCar Series: Patrick is the only woman to have won an IndyCar Series race, the 2008 Indy Japan 300.
- Indy 500: Patrick is the highest-finishing woman in the history of the Indianapolis 500, finishing in third place in 2009.
- Nascar: In 2013 Patrick became the first woman to win a Nascar Cup Series pole, doing so for the Daytona 500, and the first woman to lead laps in the Daytona 500 and the first woman to lead laps in any Cup race since Shawna Robinson in 2002.
- Racing record: Patrick holds the record for most top-ten finishes by a female driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, with 7.
- Role model and pioneer: Patrick is often considered as a trailblazer for women in motorsports and a role model for female athletes, showing them that a woman can be just as competitive as a man in a male-dominated sport.
- Awards: She has won a number of awards, including the Women in Sports Honors by espnW, the Women of Inspiration award by Women of NASCAR, and the Athletes in Excellence award by the United States Sports Academy.
In addition to her success on the track, Danica Patrick has been an active philanthropist throughout her career, her foundation and her participation in many charity events and organizations, shows her commitment in making a positive impact on the lives of others and using her platform to raise awareness and funds for a variety of causes.
This is just one possible list and there are many other female athletes who could also be considered among the best in the world.
Kindly comment below who do you think should be added on the list?