35+ Captivating Female Athletes Who Could Pass As Models! | Page 10 of 50 | Journalistate

There’s no doubt that if the ladies didn’t enter the athletics world, they would easily be as good, if not better, than the models. To read about these iconic powerhouses, keep on scrolling…

Natalie Coughlin

Natalie Coughlin is a competitive swimmer and twelve-time Olympic medalist. As an achievement, she has won the World Swimmer of the Year Award twice and the American Swimmer of the Year Award three times. In between big meets, Coughlin has been busy with other projects. Besides appearing on television, and being a spokeswoman for C20 Coconut Water, Coughlin has written a book and modeled for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, which doesn’t come as much of a shock considering her impressive talent and radiant beauty.

Blair O’Neal

Blair O’Neal, ever-so stunning, has been playing golf since she was just 11 years old. Blair started playing for the American Junior Golf Association by the time she turned 13, and her career only grew from there. O’Neal started playing professionally after four years of college-level golf at Arizona State University, all while establishing a modeling career. Have you seen her after all?! Her smile could light up a room, seriously! The blonde bombshell has, in any case, been quite busy over the years.

Kim Glass

Kim Glass, a star of indoor volleyball who joined the U.S. national team in May 2007. Glass made her first Olympic appearance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics the following year, helping Team USA to a silver medal. Glass has also dabbled in modeling, besides being a champion in her respective sport. Right?! While in college, Kim was featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and auditioned five times for America’s Next Top Model.

Silje Norendal

Silje Norendal, a Norwegian professional snowboarder, competes in Slopestyle. Now 26 years old, there is no denying that Norendal has achieved quite a lot so far throughout her career. During the Winter X Games Europe in Tignes in 2013, she not only won gold, but Norendal also finished fourth at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Korea. Norendal has also received attention for her breathtaking looks and radiant smile, modeling for different brands and magazines, aside from her indisputable talent.

Lindsey Vonn

Lindsey Vonn is an American former World Cup alpine ski racer for the U.S. Team Ski. Vonn went on to have an extremely successful career after skiing at the young age of two, winning multiple championships and Olympic gold medals. While Vonn retired in 2019, for her insane talent and striking beauty, there’s no doubt she’ll always be remembered. Vonn has modeled for various magazines over the years, including the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition of 2010 and 2016 and Maxim.

Ana Ivanović

Ana Ivanović is yet another star that has dominated the tennis world. In 2003, Ana started competing professionally before retiring in 2016. Ana has won several singles titles during her career and was even ranked No. 1 in 2008. Ana hasn’t slowed down, despite her retirement. In addition to raising her two sons with Bastian Schweinsteiger’s husband, Ana has modeled for many other magazines, including Harper’s Bazaar, Bella, and Vanity Fair (Spain).

Katarina Witt

Katarina Witt’s retirement from figure skating did not mean her name was forgotten, since she continues to work in film and television. In any case, after winning two Olympic gold medals for East Germany, she rose to stardom. She is a four-time world champion and a two-time silver medalist in the world. The fact that she won the gymnastics championship speaks volumes about her talent and beauty. So, it’s not surprising, with her unstoppable talent and radiant beauty, that Witt was the poster athlete of East Germany.

Gabrielle Reece

As a professional volleyball player, Gabrielle Reece has made a name for herself and as a sports announcer, fashion model, and actress. Reece moved to New York City to pursue a parallel career as a sports fashion model after playing college-level volleyball for Florida State University on a scholarship while continuing her pro-volleyball career. Then again, we can’t say that it surprises us as much as she looks natural in front of the camera, not to mention her unbelievably beautiful appearance.

Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick has been the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing. Before retiring, the racecar driver was dominant in her sport. Her 2008 win in the Indy Japan 300 is the only IndyCar Series win by a woman. Patrick, a widely recognized athlete, has become an icon of pop culture through her talent and looks. She has not only done film and TV work but has also been a cover model for magazines like FHM, Sports Illustrated, TV Guide, and ESPN: The Magazine.

Kerri Walsh

Kerri Walsh, a professional beach volleyball player, is yet another powerhouse. Kerri has impressed fans throughout her career by becoming a three-time Olympic gold medalist and a one-time Olympic bronze medalist. During the London Olympics in 2012, she was even pregnant for five weeks when she won gold, an impressive feat, to say the least. It’s no surprise that Kerri has also gone on to do television and modeling work, appearing in the ESPN: The Magazine “Body Issue,“ with images taken both before and after giving birth to her third child, considering how beautiful she is.

Jennie Finch

Jennie Finch is a former softball professional. She became a collegiate All-American during her career and a medal-winning Olympian, and a two-time pro-All-Star. With this being said, there is no denying that this blue-eyed beauty in her respective sport was an unstoppable force, so much so that she was described by Time magazine as the most famous softball player in history. Although Finch retired from the sport in 2010 to focus on her family, she began working for National Pro Fastpitch and college softball games at ESPN as a color commentator.

Anna Kournikova

Named one of People magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People, Anna Kournikova is a former Russian professional tennis player who has won multiple Grand Slam titles and WTA Championships. Although her career was cut short due to serious back and spinal problems, Kournikova is still a household name. Kournikova is also known for her relationship with singer-songwriter Enrique Iglesias. She has three children, aside from the fact that she does quite a lot of television and modeling work.

Amanda Beard

Ashley Beard first rose to fame as a seven-time Olympic medalist and professional swimmer. Unsurprisingly, her success has twice earned her the American Swimmer of the Year Award. Beard came out of retirement in 2010 after a brief hiatus and placed second at the National Championships that year in the 200-meter breaststroke. Beard has also been known to do modeling work, including walking fashion shows, aside from being an extremely gifted swimmer. But then again, do you guys really find it surprising, considering her amazing bone structure and hypnotic blue eyes?

Trish Stratus

Trish Stratus, born Patricia Anne Stratigeas, is a fitness master, fitness model, professional wrestler, actress, and personality on television. Trish was interested in wrestling throughout her childhood, but it wasn’t until after pursuing a modeling career that the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) noticed her. The Canadian superstar then signed a multi-year contract with the firm in November 1999. However, in addition to professional wrestling, Stratus has also appeared on several magazine covers and participated in charity work.

Maria Sharapova

Before retiring in February 2020, Maria Sharapova, a Russian native, had an extremely fruitful career, winning a medal at the London 2012 Summer Olympics. Maria was known for her work in various magazines, including a feature in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and making a name for herself in athletics. In several advertisements for brands like Nike, she also appeared and was the face of several fashion houses.

Ronda Rousey

Ronda Rousey, often referred to by her nickname “Rowdy,” is an American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist who won Olympic judo medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics. It wasn’t until 2018 that Rousey started a professional wrestling career, signing a WWE contract. Aside from whooping butt in the ring, as both an actress, author, and model, Rousey has also enjoyed success. However, in all honesty, how could she not do so? She is not only an absolute beauty, but she is incredibly inspiring as well.

Serena Williams

The minute she turned professional in 1995, Serena Williams stole our hearts. While we could sit here all day telling you guys all that Serena’s done, we’re pretty sure you know it already. Serena is a force to be reckoned with, in any event, and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. This goddess also enjoys her fair share of television and modeling work, aside from dominating tennis courts worldwide. Then again, we wouldn’t mind posing for magazine covers if we looked like her, either.

Aly Raisman

Aly Raisman, the captain of both the 2012 “Fierce Five” and 2016 “Final Five” U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics teams, is a retired gymnast and two-time Olympian who, after becoming the 2016 Olympic individual all-around silver medalist and floor exercise silver medalist, made waves in the athletic world. Raisman has stunned fans with her poise and grace, aside from her unstoppable talent. Over the years, not only has she done modeling work, appearing in various magazines, but she was also a Dancing With the Stars contestant.

Lolo Jones

Not only because of her immense talent but also because of her exotic looks, Lolo Jones has gained public attention over the years. Jones, an American hurdler, and bobsledder won three NCAA titles and, while attending Louisiana State University, won 11 All-American honors. Now 37 years old, Jones has no intention shortly of slowing down. In addition to essentially ruling in her respective sport, Jones has also done modeling work for magazines including the ESPN: The Magazine’s “The Body Issue,“ as well as Outside’s cover.

Michelle Wie

Michelle Wie, a professional golfer, started playing when she was only 10 years old. She became the youngest player to qualify for an amateur USGA championship at that point. Beyond that, Wie was also the youngest U.S. winner. Amateur Public Links Women’s and the youngest to qualify for an LPGA Tour event. In 2005, shortly before her 16th birthday, Wie finally took her career to a professional level, accompanied by an enormous amount of publicity and endorsements, unsurprisingly. Then, in 2014, this knockout won her first major at the U.S. Women’s Open.

Eugenie Bouchard

Eugenie “Genie” Bouchard is a professional tennis player who has definitely made quite a name for herself in the last few years. In fact, Bouchard became the first Canadian-born player representing Canada to reach the final of a Grand Slam singles tournament at the 2014 Wimbledon Championships. Bouchard has also been noticed for her effortless beauty, aside from these achievements, including awards. We mean, this gal has a smile that, in her case, might light up any room or tennis court.

Miesha Tate

Miesha Tate is an American pundit of mixed martial arts and a former mixed martial artist. There’s no question that Tate has solidified her place as a champion during her years in the industry. Her fighting technique, in fact, has only earned her praise from various peers and media outlets. However, Tate has modeled different websites and publications outside of MMA and the UFC, including ESPN: The Magazine and Fitness Gurls. Since her retirement, Tate has become the VP of the Singapore-based mixed martial arts, Muay Thai, and kickboxing promotion for the ONE Championship.

Skylar Diggins

This beauty queen, Skylar Diggins, is a 29-year-old professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Diggins instantly rose to fame with her fierce talent after getting drafted third by the Tulsa Shock in the 2013 WNBA Draft. She was named four times as a WNBA All-Star and recognized in 2014 as the WNBA Most Improved Player. Diggins keeps busy with modeling work for several magazines, including Vogue, when she’s not on the court.

Hilary Knight

Hilary Knight, an American Olympian, and professional ice hockey player, are undoubtedly among the sport’s strongest people. Knight has been playing for as long as she can remember. She is currently a forward with the PWHPA-Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association and the national ice hockey team for women in the United States. Knight also models and is involved in the well-known #LikeAGirl campaign, aside from shredding ice, making her the ultimate role model for girls worldwide.

Torah Bright

Torah Bright is a professional snowboarder and the most successful Winter Olympian in Australia, hailing all the way from the country below. Bright has easily become one of the sport’s major names with her aggressive riding style and amplitude. She has gone on to win multiple medals, awards, and accolades throughout the years. With so many achievements under her belt, it’s difficult to imagine that Bright still has time for anything else! She shocks them with her insanely good looks and modeling work when she is not wowing fans with her extraordinary tricks.

Becky Lynch

Well, perhaps Becky Lynch is one of the most charming people to grace the WWE ever. It is no surprise that Becky is beloved by many with her adorable accent, powerful skills, and beautiful appearance. Although the red-headed beauty is currently signed to WWE on the Raw brand, as of May 2020, she was on maternity leave. Lynch also dabbles in acting, aside from wrestling. Not only did she graduate from the Dublin Institute of Technology with an acting degree, but she also attended Chicago’s Columbia College and the Gaiety School of Acting.

Candace Parker

It’s safe to say that Candace Parker has definitely established herself in the world of basketball as a whole, not only in women’s basketball. This six-foot-four-inch goddess has helped the Los Angeles Sparks win various titles after getting the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft. Parker is going to be a household name forever with several awards and accolades under her belt. She spends her time as the studio analyst for CBS Sports NCAA men’s tournament coverage and NBA on TNT when she isn’t bouncing the ball around.

Nastia Liukin

Nastia Liukin is the name of this blonde-haired beauty, a former artistic gymnast. Nastia has won several awards and accolades throughout her gymnastic career, including the 2008 All-Around Olympic Champion. She was also a five-time Olympic medalist, the balance beam world champion in 2005 and 2007, and the uneven bar world champion in 2005. Nastia stepped back from the sport in 2012 after an extremely successful career. Since her retirement and The Nastia Liukin Cup, Nastia has remained busy with television work, an annual gymnastics competition hosted by Liukin in the United States.

Hope Solo

Hope Solo, a former soccer player, is another Washington state native to make this list. Between 2000 and 2016, the stunner was the goalkeeper for the U.S. women’s national soccer team, in which she became a World Cup champion and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. Considering she’s considered one of the world’s top female goalkeepers, we believe it’s safe to say that Solo is a name that’s never going to be forgotten. Solo then participated in Dancing With the Stars following her impressive feat at the 2011 World Cup and, of course, posed for numerous magazines.

Gina Carano

We might, in all honesty, be in love with Gina Carano. We mean, look at her! In any case, although it was not long before she switched to mixed martial arts, Carano began her career in the sport of Muay Thai, where she became the face of women’s MMA. Carano decided to keep busy with acting and modeling work after she retired from competition. Carano was featured in ESPN: The Magazine and Maxim in fifth place on a list of the ‘Top 10 Influential Women’ of 2008.

Anastasia Ashley

Right before moving to Hawaii, Anastasia Ashley began surfing at the age of five. Ashley had won a surfing contest by the time she turned six, using a run-down board she found right outside of her house in the trash. Ashley eventually picked up a sponsor a year after that, which would replace her board with new ones. With that being said, it’s clear that from the time she was a little girl, talent raced through Ashley’s veins. Ashley has accomplished quite a lot as a professional surfer and a model, which considers her flawless looks and does not shock us.

Simone Biles

At this point, Simone Biles, a Belizean-American artistic gymnast, is a famous figure. With thirty Olympic and World Championship medals, she is the most decorated American gymnast and the world’s third most decorated. Having been referred to by many as the’ greatest gymnast ever,’ Simone continues to work outside of sports in other industries. Nike and other big brands endorse her, and it’s clear that her beauty is just the cherry on top of a wildly successful career.

Sloane Stephens

Sloane Stephens is an American professional tennis player whose undeniable talent at the 2013 Australian Open, where she defeated Serena Williams, was recognized internationally. She has received several awards, including the WTA Comeback Player of the Year award. Throughout her career, represented by TLA Worldwide, Sloane has been the face of several big brands, including Under Armour, Nike, and American Express. Coupled with a long list of athletic accolades, her stunning appearance is sure to contribute to her success for years to come.

Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka is an award-winning professional tennis player from Haiti and Japan who was successfully ranked No. 1 by the Women’s Tennis Association. Osaka has become known as the’ first’ of many athletic endeavors as the first-ever Asian player to hold the highest tennis singles ranking. Her beauty has not gone unnoticed either, as Naomi is endorsed by several major brands, such as Nissan and Shiseido, a world-renowned cosmetics company. Even in her early twenties, it is safe to assume that her career will last for many years to come.

Lisa Leslie

Lisa Leslie is a former American professional basketball player currently serving in the BIG3 professional basketball league as a head coach. It’s no surprise that she was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015, with a long career full of numerous successes and awards. Lisa has also secured a notable reputation in fashion and media, with several roles on TV and numerous appearances in Vogue and Newsweek, in addition to her incredible sports history.

Mia Hamm

Mia Hamm, regarded as an icon in the world of soccer, is a retired professional player who became a two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA Women’s World over the course of her career Cup champion. Hamm signed endorsement deals with big brands, including Gatorade, Nike, Dreyer’s Ice Cream, Pepsi, and Nabisco, among many others, during her time as an international player. However, if she had not been a star on the field, considering her striking appearance and experience posing for magazines such as Sports Illustrated, Time, and People, Hamm could have done extremely well as a model.

Gabby Douglas

Gabrielle Christina Victoria Douglas is an American artistic gymnast. At both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics, she was a member of the gold-winning teams and is known as the first African American to become the Olympic individual all-around champion. Her amazing accomplishments and striking beauty took her career off the mat and into the media and film. Gabby, an author, and star of her own reality TV series, does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

P.V. Sindhu

Pusaria Venkata Sindhu, who made her international debut in 2009, is an Indian professional badminton player. She rose to the top 20 of the BWF World Rankings in 2012 at just 17 years of age. She has won multiple Super Series titles since then. With her numerous brand endorsements, such as those with JBL, Gatorade, and Panasonic, she is not only athletically talented, but her beauty has also made waves in the sports industry. It’s safe to say that her successful career will last, having already created a Forbes list for the highest-paid female athletes.

Maya Moore

Maya Moore, a professional basketball player from America, is a WNBA member of the Minnesota Lynx. In 2017, her athletic talent and hard work led to her being named Sports Illustrated’s inaugural Performer of the Year. Maya now continues to use her platform for criminal justice reform, in addition to numerous awards and championships won. Her athleticism and activism, and certainly her beauty, are sure to be remembered, regardless of her future endeavors.

Claressa Shields

Claressa Shields has multiple world championships as an American professional boxer. In both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, she won gold medals and remained one of only seven boxers, male or female, to hold all four major world boxing titles at the same time. Claressa has been the star of a documentary in addition to her remarkable boxing career, and continues to find acting work in films and advertisements, not surprisingly, considering her talent is punctuated by extreme beauty.

Allyson Felix

Allyson Michelle Felix is a globally recognized athlete. She is an American track and field sprinter who, in all her events, has won awards: 100, 200, and 400-meter. And in 2017, with 18 career medals, she was recognized as the most decorated athlete in World Athletics Championships history. Allyson is not only a talented, successful, and revered athlete, but she is also undeniably beautiful. She would surely rise to the top if she ever wanted a career in modeling.

Simone Manuel

For their physique, professional swimmers are often recognized, and Simone Ashley Manuel is no exception. She’s a competitive American swimmer who specializes in freestyle sprints. Her talent and hard work gained her two gold and two silver medals in the 2016 Olympics. Having become a professional in 2018, the career of Simone is only beginning. She has also signed with TYR Sport, Inc., an American swimwear and triathlon apparel manufacturer, and will certainly find further success as both an athlete and a model.

Venus Williams

For her many athletic achievements, Venus Williams, older sister to Serena, deserves her flowers. At the age of seven, she was discovered to have a great tennis talent and then use it. The Women’s Tennis Association has ranked Venus as #1 on three separate occasions. Venus also holds a degree in business administration and fashion design. She is also an athletic force to be reckoned with. She never stops with numerous athletic and professional accolades already under her belt.

Sydney McLaughlin

Sydney McLaughlin is an American hurdler and sprinter, renowned for her time at the University of Kentucky before winning a 400-meter hurdles silver medal at the 2019 World Championships. She broke the college and NCAA records for the same event in 2018. She turned professional later that year. With both mom and dad having a history of competitive running, Sydney comes from an athletic family. She can also thank them for her stunning good looks, in addition to inheriting strong athletic genes from her parents.

Sydney McLaughlin

Elizabeth “Liz” Cambage

Liz Cambage is a professional basketball player currently playing in the WNBA for the Las Vegas Aces. Her 53-point performance in a game against the New York Liberty, the current WNBA single-game scoring record, is one of her many contributions to the sports world. It is reported that she was teased by her height growing up, standing tall at six-foot-five-inches. But now, it’s clear who came out on top with records and multiple achievements to her name, including a memorable slam dunk during the Olympic Games. Beautiful and talented, Liz will definitely continue to be a success.

Laila Ali

Laila, the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali’s daughter, is a former professional boxer who competed before retiring undefeated from 1999 to 2007. She not only has an undeniable presence, but she is gorgeous as well. In numerous magazines like Sports Illustrated, People, Vogue, and Cosmopolitan, among many more, the powerhouse has also appeared.

Courtney Force

Courtney Force, the youngest daughter of 16-time NHRA World Funny Car Champion John Force, isn’t your ordinary woman. The blonde-haired beauty worked hard to become a household name after following her father’s footsteps and becoming a drag racer. During her career, the force also did television work, including A&E’s reality show, Driving Force, with her family. She married fellow racecar driver Graham Rahal in 2015 and, five years later, the couple announced they were expecting their first child in November 2020.

Daniela Hantuchová

Daniela Hantuchová is a retired Slovakian tennis player. Daniela made her breakthrough in 2002 after becoming a professional, when she won her first WTA tournament, and that was the first of many achievements to come during her 18-year career. Although Daniela made a name for herself as a world-famous tennis star, she also modeled for magazines including Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and ESPN: The Magazine’s “The Body Issue.” While she is widely regarded as a symbol of beauty, Daniela never really thought of herself as such, saying that modeling is “just fun to do from time to time.”

Crystal Dunn

Crystal Alyssia Dunn Soubrier is a wildly talented and strikingly gorgeous American soccer player. She plays for the North Carolina Courage of the National Woman’s Soccer League (NWSL). She was the youngest player to win both the Most Valuable Player and Golden Boot awards for the NWSL in 2015. It’s safe to assume that she will be in the game for a long time, with numerous sports successes since she first started playing. But her undeniable beauty would probably keep her a household name if she ever decided to take another track.

Brie & Nikki Bella

Nikki and Brie Bella are the same teams of WWE twins and professional wrestling tag teams. With Nikki holding the title twice and Brie once, the Bella Twins are both former Divas Champions. Both Nikki and Brie are still very much in the spotlight, even though they are now retired from wrestling. Nikki and Bella have their hands full with modeling work and running their own beauty line, Nicole + Brizee, apart from enjoying a motherhood life.