Many professional female athletes have changed how we view sports, be it Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Simone Biles, or Venus Williams. But these are all well-known household names, and we’re more interested in underrated sportswomen that deserve more recognition.
Below is a list of five professional female athletes you should know about and what makes them special!
1. Chloe Kim (Snowboarding)
Not many snowboarding athletes get the appraisal that they deserve, especially when it comes to female snowboarders. One glaring example of this is Chloe Kim, who was the first woman to win a snowboarding gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics at only 17!
She even earned a second gold medal in the Beijing 2022 Olympics, winning the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe event for Team USA.
Born and raised in California, Kim followed her Olympic success with the co-founding of TOGETHXR—a brand that aims to unite future female athletes and discuss matters like lifestyle, health, fitness, and more.
2. Marta Vieira da Silva (Soccer)
On a more international note, we think Marta, the Brazilian soccer player and the only woman to score in five World Cups, could use more appreciation.
Her journey to stardom is an impressive one, especially when you know that she was prevented from playing soccer with male players at a young age.
This form of discrimination further encouraged her to hone her skills instead of backing down. She used to practice on all sorts of objects like balled-up grocery bags!
She also helped her country win several silver Olympic medals in the 2004 and 2008 games.
3. Mel Reid (Golf)
English golfer Mel Reid is another example of a successful female athlete you may not have heard about but should!
Her career is definitely a shiny one, and so far, it has one victory and six Top 10s. She currently also ranks 37th in the LPGA.
However, what makes her portfolio more interesting is her dedication to advocating for Underrepresented groups like women and LGBTQ+.
4. Sky Brown (skateboarding)
This young, up-and-coming skateboarder is a female athlete you’ll want to keep on your radar for the next Summer Olympics. At just 13 and 23 days, Sky Brown broke records and became the youngest-ever British medalist at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Skateboarding was one of the five new sports added to the Summer Olympics, and Sky made sure to make her mark, securing the Bronze medal. But what really sets Sky apart is that she didn’t know if she’d be able to compete in the historic event at all. Just one year before the Olympics, Sky suffered a fall during training, resulting in a fractured skull and many broken bones. Thankfully, Sky was able to recover and score a spot on the leaderboard for Great Britain!
5. Ibtihaj Muhammad (Fencing)
Another professional female athlete is Ibtihaj Muhammad, the first Muslim American woman to win an Olympic bronze medal in fencing wearing the hijab (headscarf).
Ibtihaj has contributed and continues to raise awareness about several topics that concern women everywhere. She focuses on educating young girls about the importance of being themselves and wearing what they want, even in places where people tell them they don’t belong.
Besides releasing a memoir and a picture book to broadcast her ideas, she started her own modest clothing line, Louella, to offer young Muslim girls trendy pieces that they can feel comfortable in.
Final Words
More professional female athletes need to be recognized for their impressive roles in the sports and fitness world. Appreciating their efforts allows younger generations to be in their shoes one day in the future.
Thankfully, there’s no shortage of amazing women all over the world; you just need to dig a little deeper!
