Sierra Williams, Simone Biles, and Mia Hamm are familiar names in the world of athletics, however, they are not the only women known for their remarkable contributions. We’ll explore how women athletes, past and present, have influenced this ever changing industry and have paved the way for future athletes.

The new kid on the tennis court is Naomi Osaka, a 21-year old already going head-to-head with some of the best in the world. After competing with Serena Williams at the 2018 US Open Final, her victory jumped her from rank 68 to top five in the world (100 of the Most Influential Women in Sport: Naomi Osaka). Her promising beginning has not only made her an icon in Japan but of all of Asia and the world. Now with four Grand Slam titles to her name this up and coming star is paving the way for the future of tennis.

Trischa Zorn is known for her impressive athletic achievements in swimming, however, she is also a role model for the disabled as a famed Paralympian. Zorn has won 55 medals in her career and has never let her disability limit her. Blind since birth, Zorn entered her first Paralympics in 1980 where she received seven gold medals and set three world records. She continued her career until 2004 and, in 2012, she was the first American woman to be entered in the Paralympics Hall of Fame (40 Most Powerful Female Athletes of All Time). Her reach has extended to coach American military service members enter the Paralympics guiding them to achieve what she has accomplished all those years ago.

Before Simone Biles, there was Nadia Comaneci, the first gymnast to receive a perfect score at the Olympics. At the age of 14, this Romanian competitor took the 1976 Montreal Olympics by storm. Her mesmerizing performance on the uneven bars earned her the gold and the title as the youngest all around Olympics gold medalist ever (40 Most Powerful Female Athletes of All Time). Her influence spread past the field of gymnastics as the song that she performed that year became known as “Nadia’s Theme” and earned a Grammy in 1977. Today, Comaneci is known for her commitment to community as she served with the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Nadia Comaneci Children’s Hospital in Bucharest.