The Ultimate GOAT List in Women’s Sports

Women’s sport has produced generations of pioneers, record-breakers and cultural icons. Below are 25 carefully chosen profiles of athletes widely regarded as the GOAT — Greatest Of All Time — in their disciplines. Each profile includes age (as of 2025), country, career highlights, major awards and achievements, and a concise explanation of why she belongs on this list.

1. Serena Williams — Tennis

Age (2025): 43
Country: United States

Serena Williams’s career is defined by peak power, prolonged excellence and cultural impact. With 23 Grand Slam singles titles (the Open Era record), 14 Grand Slam doubles crowns (mostly alongside sister Venus) and four Olympic gold medals, Serena’s numbers speak for themselves. She spent a combined 319 weeks ranked world No. 1 and repeatedly returned from injuries and childbirth to challenge for majors — a rare resilience in modern sport. Beyond the trophies, Serena changed tennis’ public image: she brought trademark athleticism and power play to the women’s game and used her platform to champion equality, representation and maternal athlete rights. Her combination of raw dominance, clutch performances on the biggest stages, and global influence makes her a natural GOAT pick in tennis.

2. Simone Biles — Gymnastics

Age (2025): 28
Country: United States

Simone Biles has reshaped what’s technically possible in artistic gymnastics. By 2025 she has amassed the most World Championship gold medals of any gymnast and multiple Olympic medals, including individual and team titles. Biles has multiple eponymous skills across vault, floor and beam — moves so technically difficult that they redefined scoring and difficulty tables. Her career combines jaw-dropping difficulty, outstanding execution and an extraordinary medal haul. Equally notable: her openness about mental health at Tokyo 2020 shifted global conversations about athlete wellbeing without diminishing her on-floor accomplishments. In short, Biles is both an evolutionary and revolutionary figure: a GOAT because she has outperformed peers consistently while expanding the sport’s technical frontier.

3. Marta — Football (Soccer)

Age (2025): 39
Country: Brazil

Marta Vieira da Silva is widely recognized as the greatest female footballer of her generation. The six-time FIFA World Player of the Year combined creativity, pace and finishing to carry Brazil’s attack for nearly two decades. She became the top scorer in FIFA Women’s World Cup history and was a consistent talisman for both club and country. Marta’s influence extends beyond statistics: she helped raise the global profile of women’s football, especially in South America, and inspired countless young players who previously lacked visible role models. Her technical mastery, consistency in international tournaments and cultural leadership make her a GOAT in world football.

4. Katie Ledecky — Swimming

Age (2025): 28
Country: United States

Katie Ledecky redefined distance freestyle in the 21st century. Bursting onto the Olympic scene as a teenager, Ledecky established dominance across the 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle events, often winning by large margins. By 2025 her medal count includes multiple Olympic golds and a long list of world championship titles; she has set and reset world records across distances. Her racing is notable not only for raw endurance but for intelligent pacing and the ability to negative-split races — a mark of a mature champion. Ledecky’s sustained excellence over events and cycles, plus a habit of winning convincingly, cement her GOAT status in distance swimming.

5. Allyson Felix — Track & Field (Sprints & Relays)

Age (2025): 39
Country: United States

Allyson Felix is the most decorated athlete in track & field history, celebrated for versatility and longevity across 200m, 400m and relay events. Her career features numerous Olympic medals — both individual and relay — and multiple World Championship titles. Beyond medals, Felix’s influence includes major advocacy for athlete protections and maternity rights after she faced contract and sponsorship challenges following childbirth; her successful fight changed industry standards for female athletes. Track-side, she demonstrated elite speed, tactical intelligence and relay leadership. Combining record-setting medals with civil influence, Felix’s legacy transcends times and makes her one of the most compelling GOAT cases in athletics.

6. Ronda Rousey — Judo & Mixed Martial Arts

Age (2025): 38
Country: United States

Ronda Rousey is credited with mainstreaming women’s MMA. An Olympic bronze medalist in judo, she transitioned to mixed martial arts and became the UFC’s first female champion at bantamweight. Rousey’s armbar submissions and fast finishes created a new template for MMA stardom and proved women could headline major combat sports events. Her cultural impact — big pay-per-view draws, crossover into entertainment, and influence on promotions to add women’s divisions — fundamentally changed the sport’s business model. While later career losses affected her in-ring streak, her pioneering role, spectacular early dominance and crossover celebrity are central to her GOAT narrative in combat sports history.

7. Steffi Graf — Tennis

Age (2025): 56
Country: Germany

Steffi Graf’s career is highlighted by remarkable consistency and an unprecedented 1988 “Golden Slam” — winning all four Grand Slams and Olympic gold in the same calendar year. Graf’s forehand, footwork and mental resilience enabled her to claim 22 Grand Slam singles titles and hold the world No. 1 ranking for long stretches. Unlike many players whose dominance was era-limited, Graf’s game combined power and precision that translated across surfaces and opponents. Her statistical accomplishments, unique Golden Slam achievement and influence on European tennis position her among the sport’s all-time greats.

8. Amanda Nunes — Mixed Martial Arts

Age (2025): 37
Country: Brazil

Amanda Nunes dominated two UFC weight classes — bantamweight and featherweight — placing her at the top of the MMA pound-for-pound lists in the 2010s and early 2020s. Nunes’s blend of knockout power, technical striking and solid grappling resulted in decisive wins over former champions and legends of the sport. She frequently ended fights emphatically and did not shy from seeking top-tier opponents across divisions. In a sport with short windows of domination, Nunes’s sustained success across two divisions and consistent victories over elite opponents offer a powerful GOAT case.

9. Birgit Fischer — Canoe Sprint

Age (2025): 63
Country: Germany

Birgit Fischer’s Olympic career spans six Games over two decades, producing an extraordinary medal haul — including multiple golds — that places her among the most decorated Olympians ever. Fischer’s longevity in a physically demanding sport like sprint kayaking is rare: she won major titles from her twenties into her forties. Her ability to remain an elite performer across changing competitors and boat classes highlights adaptability and work ethic. For canoe sprint, Fischer’s results and endurance define GOAT-level achievement.

10. Jackie Joyner-Kersee — Heptathlon & Long Jump

Age (2025): 63
Country: United States

Jackie Joyner-Kersee dominated combined events in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Her 1988 heptathlon world record and Olympic victories combined speed, power and endurance across seven distinct events — a testament to rare athletic versatility. In addition to heptathlon success, Joyner-Kersee excelled in the long jump, earning Olympic hardware and World-level consistency. Her technical mastery across events and ability to peak in major championships make her the standard-bearer for multi-event female athletes.

11. Mithali Raj — Cricket

Age (2025): 43
Country: India

Mithali Raj is one of women’s cricket’s most influential figures. As a batter, she accumulated one of the highest run totals in women’s ODIs and led India as captain across multiple cycles. Mithali’s technique, temperament and ability to pace long innings were hallmarks of an era in which India rose to consistent international competitiveness. Her role in popularizing and professionalizing women’s cricket in India — where cricket attracts passionate followings — adds to her GOAT credentials beyond runs scored alone.

12. Diana Taurasi — Basketball

Age (2025): 43
Country: United States

Diana Taurasi’s scoring prowess and clutch reputation have made her a legend of women’s basketball. As the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer and a multiple-time champion, Taurasi combined elite individual scoring with championship success. Internationally, she also delivered for club teams in Europe and earned Olympic gold with the USA. Her competitiveness, longevity and ability to elevate team performance when it mattered most frame her status as basketball’s GOAT candidate among guards and scorers.

13. Florence Griffith-Joyner — Track Sprinting

Age (2025): Deceased (born 1959)
Country: United States

“Flo-Jo” left a permanent mark on sprinting: her 100m and 200m world records set in 1988 still stand, making them two of track’s most enduring marks. Beyond times, Griffith-Joyner’s style — flamboyant outfits and iconic long nails — made her a cultural figure as well as an athletic force. Her combination of sheer speed and showmanship attracted new audiences and helped raise women’s sprinting visibility. Records that resist decades of advances are rare; that alone places her in any GOAT conversation for sprinting.

14. Claressa Shields — Boxing

Age (2025): 30
Country: United States

Claressa Shields translated amateur brilliance into professional dominance. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Shields moved to pro boxing and captured unified titles across weight classes, earning recognition as a pound-for-pound elite. She combines technical boxing IQ with athleticism and a fearless approach to challenge top opponents. Shields’s rare path — Olympic golds plus multi-division professional supremacy — is a trophy-laden argument for boxing GOAT status.

15. Annika Sörenstam — Golf

Age (2025): 55
Country: Sweden

Annika Sörenstam dominated the LPGA tour in the late 1990s and early 2000s, collecting 72 LPGA victories and 10 major championships. Her consistency, exceptional ball-striking and competitive focus set new standards in women’s golf. Annika also helped elevate the sport commercially and inspired more international players to join the tour. Her statistical record, coupled with influence on the game’s visibility, underlines her GOAT case.

16. Hayley Wickenheiser — Ice Hockey

Age (2025): 47
Country: Canada

Hayley Wickenheiser is a pioneer of women’s hockey and one of Canada’s all-time greats. With multiple Olympic gold medals, world championships and a career spanning club and international success, she combined scoring, playmaking and leadership. Wickenheiser’s presence helped drive growth of girls’ and women’s hockey programs worldwide; she also bridged eras by competing successfully against emerging talent and helping professionalize the women’s game in North America and Europe.

17. Zhu Ting — Volleyball

Age (2025): 31
Country: China

Zhu Ting established herself as a dominant outside hitter for China’s national team, leading her side to major trophies including Olympic and World-level success. Her attacking power, serve-receive ability and leadership as captain earned MVP honors in major tournaments. In a sport where team unity and peak tournament performances matter most, Zhu’s consistent match-winning contributions in finals and knockouts make her a GOAT figure in global volleyball.

18. Deng Yaping — Table Tennis

Age (2025): 52
Country: China

Deng Yaping dominated international table tennis in the 1990s, collecting multiple Olympic gold medals and world championship titles despite being smaller in stature than many rivals. Her speed, tactical precision and fierce competitiveness made her nearly unbeatable at the top level. Deng’s medal record and influence on China’s depth in table tennis make her the standard by which later generations are measured.

19. Carolina Marín — Badminton

Age (2025): 32
Country: Spain

Carolina Marín broke long-standing geographical patterns in elite badminton by becoming the first non-Asian player to win multiple world titles and Olympic gold in recent decades. Her aggressive, footwork-heavy style and unmatched fighting spirit on court allowed her to beat top opponents consistently. Marín’s success expanded Europe’s belief that it could produce women world champions in a sport historically dominated by Asian nations, making her both a regional and global GOAT figure.

20. Lindsey Vonn — Alpine Skiing

Age (2025): 41
Country: United States

Lindsey Vonn is one of the most accomplished female alpine skiers in history, with a large number of World Cup wins and multiple season titles. Known for speed events such as downhill and super-G, she combined fearlessness with technical skill to beat the world’s best on the most demanding courses. Vonn’s record total of top-level victories and ability to return from injury to win again illustrate why she’s widely considered the sport’s GOAT.

21. Chloe Kim — Snowboarding

Age (2025): 25
Country: United States

Chloe Kim became a global face of snowboarding with Olympic golds in the halfpipe while still a teenager, then backed up early promise with continued technical progression and competitive maturity. Known for amplitude, flawless rotations and landing consistency, Kim helped push the women’s halfpipe into higher difficulty and visibility. Her mainstream appeal and repeated success at the highest stages make her a top GOAT candidate for snowboarding’s modern era.

22. Yuna Kim — Figure Skating

Age (2025): 35
Country: South Korea

Yuna Kim combined technical precision with lyrical presentation to become one of figure skating’s most beloved champions. An Olympic gold medalist and world champion, Kim’s consistency under Olympic pressure and her ability to deliver near-flawless programs won her worldwide acclaim and commercial fame. Her performances in the 2010 Olympic Games are frequently cited as among the sport’s finest; together with her cultural impact, this secures her place in GOAT discussions for ladies’ figure skating.

23. Stephanie Gilmore — Surfing

Age (2025): 37
Country: Australia

Stephanie Gilmore’s smooth style, wave intuition and competitive record have made her one of the most successful surfers ever. With multiple World Surf League championships and event wins across varied conditions, Gilmore’s consistent excellence in a sport influenced by environmental variability stands out. Her adaptability, clutch heat management and multiple seasons at the top of the tour define why she is often tagged as surfing’s GOAT.

24. Daniela Ryf — Triathlon / Ironman

Age (2025): 38
Country: Switzerland

Daniela Ryf dominated long-course triathlon in the 2010s and 2020s, especially at the Ironman World Championship in Kona (where the course’s heat, wind and logistics magnify performance differences). Ryf’s repeated victories and commanding times across bike and run segments showcased exceptional endurance, race strategy and durability. In an endurance sport where single-day performance defines legacy, multiple world titles and repeat wins at marquee races make her a standout GOAT candidate.

25. Elisabeta Lipă — Rowing

Age (2025): 61
Country: Romania

Elisabeta Lipă is one of rowing’s most decorated athletes, with an Olympic career spanning multiple cycles and a collection of gold and other medals in different boat classes. Her versatility — winning across sculls and sweep events — and sustained success over decades place her among the greatest rowers in Olympic history. Rowing demands synchronized power and near-perfect technique; Lipă’s capacity to deliver those components repeatedly in Olympic finals defines her GOAT status in the sport.

Comprehensive FAQs — Women’s Sports GOATs

What criteria were used to select these GOATs?

We used a blend of measurable achievements (Olympic medals, world titles, Grand Slams, major championships), era dominance (years at or near the top), innovation (skills or techniques that changed the sport), influence (growing the sport’s popularity, cultural effect) and head-to-head success against top rivals. GOAT selection is not purely statistical — cultural impact and pioneering roles matter too.

Why are Olympic medals important in GOAT debates?

Olympic medals matter because the Olympics represent the highest international stage for many sports and require peak performance under unique pressure. For disciplines where the Olympics are the primary global championship (gymnastics, rowing, track & field, etc.), Olympic records heavily influence GOAT assessments. However, in sports with professional major structures (tennis, golf, some team sports), other titles also carry major weight.

Are GOAT lists objective?

No — GOAT lists blend objective facts and subjective interpretation. While measurable accomplishments (title counts, records, longevity) provide a strong foundation, factors such as era quality, competition depth, and cultural impact introduce subjectivity. That’s why GOAT lists fuel debate and are often updated as new generations rise.

Who are notable near-misses or honorable mentions?

There are many: examples include Billie Jean King (tennis), Valentina Shevchenko (MMA), Marta’s contemporaries in football, Larisa Latynina (gymnastics) for Olympic medal totals, Susie O’Neill (swimming), Paula Radcliffe (marathon), and many regional GOATs in sports like netball, squash and lacrosse. Honorable mentions acknowledge excellence even if they didn’t top every metric we used.

How can a rising athlete become a GOAT candidate?

A rising athlete becomes a GOAT candidate by combining sustained top-level results (majors/Olympics/world titles), dominating peers over multiple seasons, introducing new techniques or training paradigms, and building cultural or commercial influence that grows the sport. Longevity and repeat performances on the biggest stages are key.

Do team sports make GOAT evaluation harder?

Yes. In team sports, individual impact must be isolated from team systems. Players like Marta or Diana Taurasi are judged by individual statistics and clutch impact, but team dynamics, coach systems and supporting players complicate direct comparison. Analysts weigh individual awards, leadership, and performance in decisive games more heavily.

Why include athletes from less mainstream sports (canoe, rowing, triathlon)?

GOAT status should span all sports where female athletes set historical standards. Less mainstream sports produce athletes whose dominance — often measured at Olympics and world championships — is equally impressive. Including them recognizes breadth of female athletic achievement globally.

Will this list change over time?

Absolutely. Sport evolves, records fall, and new athletes emerge. Lists like this reflect a moment in time (here, through 2025). Some entries are historical (like Flo-Jo and Birgit Fischer) while others may be overtaken by rising stars. Periodic updates are essential for accuracy and relevance.