Despite the fact that men's sports receive way more attention, there are countless talented female athletes currently dominating the world of sports. From soccer to surfing to martial arts, ladies have long been showing the world that you don't need a Y chromosome to kick some serious butt in athletic events. Sadly, though, many people are still under the impression that women who participate in sports are "manly" by default. Although appearance has nothing to do with athletic performance, many people would still be surprised to discover that many female athletes are beautiful enough to be supermodels!
All bodies can do some amazing things, but when you're an accomplished athlete, you can accomplish even more physically demanding tasks than the average human being. Despite this, female athletes are still routinely shamed for what they look like. These sportswomen have been made fun of for their athletic builds, but they responded to their haters in the most eloquent and intelligent way possible.
Male athletes have always been revered for their strong physiques, but only in recent years have we begun to celebrate the concept that women can be physically strong and attractive at the same time. In fact, this woman who was born without legs overcame all the odds by becoming not only an accomplished athlete, but also a lingerie model! The now-widespread trend of sportswomen-turned-models is proof that society is finally beginning to realize that muscles on a woman can look really, really sexy.
Take a look at these skilled and driven female athletes who happen to be unbelievably beautiful. They come in all shapes, sizes, and disciplines, but all of them are breaking barriers for women everywhere, proving that we should all love our bodies for what they look like and what they can do.
Make sure you SHARE these exceptional women with everyone you know!
1. Camille Leblanc-Bazinet
Not only did Leblanc-Bazinet win the 2014 Crossfit Games, but she's also on her way to finishing a degree in chemical engineering.
2. Skylar Diggins
She now plays for the Dallas Wings, but when she was in college, Skylar Diggins played for the University of Notre Dame. She ultimately helped lead the team to two NCAA championships and three Final Fours.
3. Hilary Knight
Knight has achieved a lot in the sport of ice hockey, including winning multiple World Championships, but perhaps her most impressive accomplishment is her Olympic silver medal.
4. Sierra Blair Coyl
This Arizona-born rock climber has been a World Cup competitor for five years in a row and was a two-time National Champion as a junior climber.
5. Serena Williams
Williams has time and time again been ranked the number one female tennis player in the world. She has the most major singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles of any living tennis player, and many sports experts consider her the greatest female tennis player of all time.
6. Kyra Gracie
Kyra is part of the famous Gracie family known for starting Brazilian jiu jitsu. She's a black belt and has won multiple world championships in the sport. She's currently training in boxing and hopes to make her MMA debut soon.
7. Sydney Leroux
Leroux is a forward for FC Kansas City. She went with Team USA to the 2012 London Olympics and helped them win a gold medal.
8. Ellen Hoog
This field hockey player hails from the Netherlands. She's a member of her country's national field hockey team and has helped them win two gold medals at the Olympics. In response to all the comments about the attractiveness of all the players on her team, Hoog once said, "It's nice when people say we're a good-looking team, but in the end, we want to win gold medals."
9. Silje Norendal
Norendal is a snowboarder from Norway who went to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. She placed 11th overall in the Games, but she's won gold in both the Winter X Games and Winter X Games Europe.
10. Anastasia Ashley
When Anastasia Ashley was just six years old, she won a surfing competition using a surfboard she found in a garbage can outside her house. Since then, she's won numerous surf contests. She also models and has her own jewelry line on the side.
11. Christmas Abbott
Christmas Abbott has truly done it all. After being a civilian contractor in Iraq, she became a Crossfit athlete and has expanded into doing Olympic lifting. Now a Crossfit coach and businesswoman, she also works for NASCAR as a pit crew tire changer.
12. Leryn Franco Steneri
She's not a javelin thrower anymore, but at one point, this actress and model was one of Paraguay's top athletes. She participated in the Summer Olympics of 2004, 2008, and 2012 and set a national record for the javelin at 57.77 meters.
13. Ronda Rousey
Despite a shocking loss to Holly Holm, Ronda Rousey is still one of the most famous women in sports, largely thanks to what she's done for women's MMA. She was the first woman to be signed to the UFC, and she's gone on to have an impressive 12-1 record in mixed martial arts.
14. Lindsey Vonn
Lindsey Vonn is one of the most successful female skiers in history. She's won not only a gold and bronze medal in the Olympics, but also an unbelievable 70 World Cup titles.
15. Sloane Stephens
Stephens is a tennis player who has one WTA title under her belt. She's currently ranked number 26 in the world, and her most noteable achievement was probably defeating Serena Williams on the way to making the semifinals of the 2013 Australian Open.
16. Lolo Jones
Jones is truly a rare breed of athlete, having competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympics. As a hurdler, she was favored to win the 100 m hurdle event in Beijing in 2008, but ended up tripping over one and coming in seventh place. She's also a brakewoman for the U.S. national bobsled team, competing with them at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Outside of the Olympics, she's won numerous competitions in both track and field and bobsledding.
17. Natasha Hastings
Hastings is an American track and field competitor. She's set multiple records and won numerous awards for her performances, but the one most people remember her for is the gold medal she won as part of Team USA's 4 x 400 m relay team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
18. Massy Arias
Massy Arias is a Dominican-Republic-born personal trainer who has lived in the United States since she was a teenager. Her training program and social media expertise have led her to become a world-famous fitness coach and inspire women around the globe to lead healthier lives.
19. Gina Carano
Carano no longer fights, but she was once an accomplished MMA and Muay Thai fighter, with a record of 7-1 and 12-1-1, respectively. Despite stepping out of the ring (at least for now), she's still stays busy, most notably acting as Angel Dust in the movie Deadpool.
20. Michelle Jenneke
You might recognize Jenneke if you spend a lot of time on the internet. The Australian hurdler gained international fame when she warmed up for a race by dancing, then blew away her competition. Now 22 years old, she won a silver medal in the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, and she's since won many more awards in her sport.
Make sure you SHARE these beautiful athletes with everyone you know!
