The sports realm has been graced by numerous influential female athletes over the years who not only carved out their legacy but also opened doors for others. A 73-singles title winner, Serena Williams, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players in the world, surely makes that list, and one of her American counterparts, Simone Biles, who has been gracing the gymnastics mat for years, is another athlete who has been a trailblazer in sports. The two have inspired several women out there to pursue sports as a legit professional career.
In a similar vein, a Jamaican athlete who found motivation in these two athletes has come up with her style of paying tribute to these icons. The quadruple Olympic gold medalist voiced her opinions on social media and shared a Mt. Rushmore list of female athletes who she thinks have revolutionized their respective sports.
It was five-time Olympic medalist Sanya Richards-Ross who was having a conversation about the pioneering figures in sports when she revealed four names that came to her mind right away. “I mean, the number one I think undisputed obviously is Serena Williams; she has been an inspiration to all athletes across any sport,” she states.
Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross shares her female athlete Mt. Rushmore:
1. Serena Williams
2. Simone Biles
3. Jackie Joyner-Kersee
4. Billie Jean King“There’s so many women…but [they] come to mind right away who changed the game.”
Talking about Biles, she added, “The other person who jumps into my head right away, and of course she’s competing now, and I got to see her full journey, and she’s still going, Simone Biles, and I think what she’s done not just for sport but also for mental health gives her that status.”
Furthermore, five-time Olympic medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who she said was her hero and is by far the track and field GOAT of her generation, is third on her list. Former world number one and 39 grand slam title holder Billie Jean King is the fourth athlete who has inspired Richards-Ross. With all that being said, there are several other names who have paved the way for others just by casually playing the sport with finesse.
Other legendary female athletes who blazed trails for others
Florence Griffith Joyner is considered one of the best track and field athletes to have graced the sport, and her still intact world record of 10.49 seconds in 100 meters and 21.34 seconds in 200 meters and five Olympic medals speak volumes about her legendary legacy in athletics. Faith Kipyegon, who once ran barefoot before carving a path of her own, expressed her desire to motivate the youth to pursue track and field in Kenya, and she very much did so.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is another athlete who has stated multiple times that she wants to inspire women before bidding adieu to her decorated career of ten world titles and eight Olympic medals. Sha’Carri Richardson and many other female athletes of the modern era have also started to march towards crafting their own legacy.
