Culture & Entertainment
When it comes to women's sports, many turn a blind eye to their accomplishments. Nevertheless, with the most recent United States Women's National team (USWNT) win at the FIFA World Cup and the noise made at Wimbledon, it's about time we put a little respeck on the names of black women taking their sports by storm.
Here are the 12 black female athletes who are changing their games.
Serena Williams
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With the 2019 US Open coming up, Serena Williams is after her seventh US Open title, which if won would become her 24th grand slam victory. If Williams manages to snag her eighth title, she will become the second woman to obtain 24 grand slams and will tie with tennis champ Margaret Smith Court. Already holding second place for the Most Grand Slam Single Titles in Women's Tennis History, Serena Williams shows that despite her age and others' expectations of retirement, she is far from done with dominating women's tennis.
▲Cori “Coco” Gauff
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Former world No. 1 junior Cori Gauff made her WTA debut in March 2019 at the Miami Open. Winning her opening match, she received a wild card into the qualifying draw at Wimbledon where she became the youngest player to qualify for the main draw in the tournament's history. Going on to reach the second week, 15-year-old Gauff rose to prominence when she defeated five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams. Although she lost in the third round, Gauff's technique and dedication on the court is awaited and welcomed in Grand Slams to come.
▲Sloane Stephens
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Turning pro at the age of 15, Sloane Stephens rose to fame at the 2013 Australian Open when she defeated the then-world No. 3 Serena Williams. Since then, Stephens has won the 2017 US Open and is currently ranked No. 9 in the world. Although she lost in the third round of 2019 Wimbledon, Stephens has the ability to hit powerful winners as she takes large swings with her forehand. Considered one of the best up-and-coming players, Sloane is known for her nonchalant mindset when playing tournaments. Instead of dwelling on her losses or disappointments, she strives to "keep improving and getting better" when it comes to future tournaments.
▲Naomi Osaka
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Currently sitting at world's No. 2, Naomi Osaka came to prominence at age 16 when she defeated former US Open champion Samantha Stosur. Four years later, she took the world of tennis by storm when she defeated 23-time major champion Serena Williams in the 2018 US Open. She is currently the reigning champion of the US Open and Australian Open and the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles tournament.
▲Crystal Dunn
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In 2015, Crystal Dunn became the youngest player to win both the NWSL Most Valuable Player and the Golden Boot awards. Now, she is a part of the United States Women's National Team (USWNT) and is celebrating the US second consecutive Women's World Cup title. Although Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, and Alyssa Naeher have been credited for the women's win within the World Cup, Dunn can also be credited for the win for her role as left back. As a natural attacker with speed, strength, and endurance, she became the defender that the USWNT needed in some of the most challenging games.
▲Mallory Pugh
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Mallory Pugh is an American soccer player who currently plays for the Washington Spirit and the United States Women's National soccer team. At the age of 17, she was the youngest player to debut for the national team since Heather O'Reilly in 2002. Scoring in the 83rd minute in her first appearance, Pugh became the 19th US player to score in her debut. Shortly after her debut, Pugh was chosen to represent the US in the 2016 Summer Olympics. There she became the youngest player ever to score a goal for the United States in an Olympic game. In the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, Pugh scored her first World Cup goal in the game against Thailand on June 11, 2019; contributing to the US victory of 13-0 win.
▲Allyson Felix
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Allyson Felix is the only female track and field athlete to ever win six Olympic gold medals and is tied with Merlene Ottey as the most decorated female Olympian in the history of track and field, with a total of nine Olympic medals. With 16 career medals, Felix is the most decorated athlete in IAAF World Championships history, possessing 11 golds, three silvers, and two bronzes. And she isn't even done yet. With intentions of returning to the 2020 Olympics, after giving birth, Felix intends to be at her "absolute best" for the upcoming games.
▲Simone Manuel
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For 16 years, through Olympics in Sydney, Athens, Beijing, London, and Rio, African Americans swam under the microscope for their country. With domination in other sports, such as basketball, tennis, and track and field, many African American players went ignored in swimming competitions. Often considered inferior to their Caucasian competitors. At least that was the case until the arrival of Simone Manuel in the 2016 Olympic games. Winning two golds and two silvers in the 2016 Rio Olympic games, Simone Manuel became the first African American woman to win an individual Olympic gold in swimming and set an Olympic record and American record in the competition.
Currently holding three world records as a member of the relay team, Manuel is a six-time individual NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships champion, Manuel shows that she is looking to stop any time soon.
▲Gabby Williams
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Gabrielle "Gabby" Williams is an American-French professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Drafted 4th overall by the Chicago Sky in 2018, Williams has since gone to win the Spanish League Championship. By the end of her rookie season, Williams had a chance to play against the top players in the league and go against some of the players she grew up watching, and despite having a rough start to her WNBA career, she is predicted to be a strong force in the upcoming season.
▲Ajeé Wilson
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Ajeé Wilson is an American middle-distance runner who specializes in the 800 meters race. Currently holding the US Record in the event with a time of 1:55.61, Wilson has shown that she does not plan on stopping anytime soon. In 2018, Wilson won the silver medal in World Indoor Championships and won gold at the 2018 NACAC Championships in Toronto and USA Indoor Track and Field Championships. Regarded as one of the rising stars in women's 800m, Wilson is predicted to break more US and International records in the years to come.
▲Simone Biles
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Named Team USA Female Olympic Athlete of the Year in December 2015, Simone Biles has since taken the gymnast world by storm. Rising to prominence in 2016 Rio Olympic games, Biles won her first Olympic gold medal in the gymnastic team event. She also won the gold medal individual all-around and won her second individual gold medal for the balance beam, and her third for the floor exercise. After her strong year in 2016, Biles decided to take 2017 off to focus on her training.
Coming back in 2018, Biles won the all-around title at the U.S Classic in July. Her return to the competition was highlighted by numerous upgrades from 2016. She also placed first in every event at the 2018 National Championships, becoming the first woman to do so since Dominique Dawes in 1994. This year, Biles competed in her first World Cup not on American soil, the Stuttgart World Cup, where she finished in first place.
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