October 4, 2024 The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris demonstrated the dominance of female athletes. Stars like Annette Echikunwoke, Jordan Chiles, Simone Biles, and many more made history with their achievements, indicating a major shift in support for female athletes, especially Black competitors. More about some of the most recognizable Black female athletes in history and their incomparable contributions to both their particular sports and athletics in general can be found here:

1. Serena Williams

Serena Williams is perhaps one of the best tennis players and athletes of all time, and she has made incalculable contributions to both the sport and athletics in general. The 43-year-old has won 23 Grand Slam titles, the last of which she attained while pregnant; she has four gold medals from the Olympics; and she has her own version of an EGOT, known as the Serena Slam, which is given to tennis players who win the four major titles in the sport: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open. To say that Williams is a master class would be an understatement.

2. Venus Williams On July 03, 2023, in London, England, Venus Williams of the United States competes against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the opening round of The Championships Wimbledon 2023 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Siblings rarely choose the same profession, much less excel in it to the point of international renown. Venus Williams is a legendary tennis player, much like her sister Serena. Venus, who was formerly ranked #1 in both singles and doubles, has won 49 singles and 22 doubles championships in the Women’s Tennis Association in addition to seven Grand Slams, two Grand Slams in mixed doubles, and 14 Grand Slam doubles with Serena. Venus played a significant role in paving the path for Black female athletes alongside Serena.

3. The Biles sisters Simone Bales Nowadays, “gymnastics” and “Simone Biles” are synonymous, particularly following her victory at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The 27-year-old is the first gymnast to have won two consecutive all-around crowns in non-consecutive Olympics, and she has 41 global and Olympic medals. Biles became the most decorated American gymnast in history after the Paris Games, and she is probably going to hold that distinction for a long time.

4. Joyner, Florence Griffith During a picture shoot, Florence Griffith Joyner is seen in a track position. It was difficult to miss American runner Florence Griffith Joyner, who went as Flo-Jo on the track. Her colorful outfits, long acrylic nails, and remarkable speed elevated her to the status of an athlete to watch in the late 1980s. Despite her tragic death in 1998, she left a lasting legacy in track and field history, having established numerous world records in 1988, including the women’s 100- and 200-meter sprints, which she still holds today.

5. The Allyson Felix Running, Allyson Felix Following in Flo-Jo’s footsteps, Allyson Felix’s career in track and field set numerous records that will probably be examined for years to come. With a record 20 World Championship medals and 11 Olympic medals, the 38-year-old is the most decorated track and field athlete in history. Even if she gave up competition in 2022, her next chapter will surely be one of historical significance.

6. Sheryl Swoopes The United States women’s basketball team’s shooting guard, Sheryl Swoopes (#22), is pictured in a photograph session in June 1994. It’s a good thing that the WNBA is starting to earn its due, in part because of Sheryl Swoopes. The now 53-year-old former Houston Comet is a renowned basketball player who has won three WNBA MVP awards and four WNBA championships. She competed in the Olympics in 1996, 2000, and 2004 and earned three gold medals. Swoopes walked to make room for ballers like A’ja Wilson and Angel Reese to soar.

7. Gibson Althea French international tennis champion Althea Gibson wins. Pairs: There’s nothing quite like a stunning Cup to show a player appreciation for their hard work. What Miss Gibson, the American tennis star, is saying when she kisses the cup she just won in the French International Tennis Championship final.

Before trailblazer Althea Gibson demonstrated that this could not be further from the reality, golf was not traditionally thought of as a sport for women. Gibson began her professional tennis career in 1957, when she became the first Black woman to win major championships in several sports, like as Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Following many more tennis victories, she transitioned to golf and became the first Black player in the Ladies Professional Golf Association in 1963. She also enjoyed success in jazz vocals. Even though she was not a very good golfer, her presence in those areas was important, particularly during the Civil Rights Movement.

8. Leslie Lisa

Lisa Leslie displays awards Since the beginning of her career, Lisa Leslie has been a strong advocate for women in basketball. She led the gold-medal winning USA basketball team in 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008 as the WNBA’s face, becoming the first team sport athlete to win four consecutive Olympic medals. Leslie was the first player to win MVP awards for the regular season, the All-Star Game, and the postseason all in the same year before retiring in 2009.

9. Manuel Simone Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Simone Manuel of Team USA observes the competition pool during a training session at Paris La Defense Arena. In 2016, American swimmer Simone Manuel, then just 20 years old, made history by becoming the first person to win gold in both the 100-meter freestyle and 4×100-meter medley races, as well as two silver medals in the 50-meter freestyle and 4×100-meter freestyle events. Her achievements have only grown since then. The swimmer has competed in 16 World Championships and has won 11 gold, three silver, and two bronze medals.

10. Joyner-Kersee, Jackie At Elvin C. Drake Stadium, Jackie Joyner-Kersee gets ready to run. Jackie Joyner-Kersee had an excellent career in track and field thanks to her perseverance and upbeat outlook. She competed in four Olympic Games and took home three medals in the 1980s and 1990s in the heptathlon and long jump. Alongside his sister, Al Joyner broke down boundaries and defied expectations to become the first African American to win a gold medal in the triple jump at the 1984 Olympic Games.

11. Gabby Douglas US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas gets ready to participate in the Olympic Arena during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in the women’s Beam event of artistic gymnastics. Gabby Douglas stands out among the gymnast stars of our generation. At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, she drew attention from the crowd as she became the first Black athlete to win the all-around title and helped Team USA win its first gold medal in twenty years. Douglas contributed to Team USA’s gold-medal winning performance at the 2016 Games. Despite the fact that she was injured and missed the 2024 Paris Games, she informed The Guardian that she intends to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

12. McLaughlin-Levrone, Sydney Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone following her victory at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris In addition to taking home two gold medals from her spectacular performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 50.37 seconds. It was her sixth break of that record, an accomplishment that had been writing on the wall for a while—the then-high school sophomore had won two gold medals at her debut Olympics in 2016.

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