30 greatest female athletes of all time

26, Michelle Kwan
Ice Skating

This one may seem a little complicated, but Michelle Kwan is one of the greatest and most famous figure skaters ever. Yet, she’s never won an Olympic gold medal. Many would say she should have won but lost to Tara Lipinski on a technicality. She was one of America's most popular female athletes for decades. 

While she might not have won an Olympic gold medal, she won gold at the World Championships five times. She did this because, while not always flashy, Kwan was the most consistent skater on the ice. Nobody could hit their program as clean as Kwan. She did this while still hitting difficult jumps (both the double axel and triple lutz). Her signature move became a change of edge spiral that wowed fans and judges alike. 

Now, let’s talk about Nagano. 17-year-old Kwan was going up against 15-year-old Lipinski and the rest of the field. Kwan dominated the short program, but six judges gave the long program to Lipinski, which secured gold. Just a few months earlier, Kwan’s short AND long program earned perfect scores at the World Championship. There really was nothing wrong with Kwan’s program, but Lipinski just put together something ridiculous that took a ton of risks that were nailed. It was the performance of her life at the time she needed it most.

Kwan’s popularity helped keep figure skating a part of the national lexicon. Not only was she an award-winning figure skater, but she was also one of People’s Most Beautiful People, a Teen Choice Award winner, a Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Award, and a World Figure Skating Hall of Famer. She brought figure skating away from the talk of Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan.