Famous 21st Century Athletes

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 1 
Usain Bolt
(One of the Greatest Sprinters of All Time)
Usain Bolt
20
Birthdate: August 21, 1986
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Sherwood Content, Jamaica

One of the greatest athletes ever, Usain Bolt is popular by the nickname ‘Lightning Bolt’. He holds the world record for 100 metres, 200 metres and 4 × 100 metres relay and is the only sprinter to win Olympic 100 m and 200 m titles at three consecutive Olympics (2008, 2012 and 2016).

 2 
Allyson Felix
(Retired American Track and Field Athlete Who Competed in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 400 Meters)
Allyson Felix
11
Birthdate: November 18, 1985
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

The most-decorated track and field athlete, Allyson Felix, once bullied for having skinny legs, now has a record 9 Olympic medals, including 6 gold medals. Named to Time 100 in 2020, she is also part of the board of Right to Play, which caters to children in underdeveloped countries.

 3 
Carl Lewis
(American Track-and-Field Athlete Who Won Nine Olympic Gold Medals During the 1980s and 1990s)
Carl Lewis
13
Birthdate: July 1, 1961
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Birmingham, Alabama, United States

A dominant sprinter and long jumper, Carl Lewis has won ten Olympic medals, nine of them gold. From 1981 to 1991, he topped the world rankings in the 100 m, 200 m and long jump events, slowly starting to lose his dominance thereafter, eventually retiring in 1997. Currently a businessperson, he has also appeared in films and television productions.

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 4 
Jessica Ennis-Hill
(British Retired Track and Field Athlete Who Specialized in Heptathlon and 100m Hurdles)
Jessica Ennis-Hill
13
Birthdate: January 28, 1986
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England

Jessica Ennis-Hill is a British retired track and field athlete. She specialized in multi-eventing disciplines and 100 meters hurdles. In 2012, she won an Olympic gold in the heptathlon. She was introduced to sports as a young girl and immediately took an interest in athletics. She has won several other titles as well in addition to her Olympic gold. 

 5 
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
(Jamaican Track and Field Sprinter)
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
7
Birthdate: December 27, 1986
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is a Jamaican sprinter who achieved international recognition in 2008 when she won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing. She then went on to win gold medals at the 2012 and 2020 Olympic Games. Counted among the greatest sprinters of all time, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also has many World Championship gold medals under her belt.

 6 
Caster Semenya
(South African Middle-Distance Runner and Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist)
Caster Semenya
12
Birthdate: January 7, 1991
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Pietersburg, South Africa

Two-time Olympic gold medalist middle-distance runner Caster Semenya in an intersex woman, with high testosterone levels. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was asked to take medication to decrease her testosterone levels, to participate in the 2021 Olympics women’s events, and filed a case in the European Court of Human Rights.

 7 
Justin Gatlin
(American Sprinter Who Won the Gold Medal in the 100 Meters at the 2004 Olympics)
Justin Gatlin
12
Birthdate: February 10, 1982
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Five-time Olympic medalist and renowned sprinter Justin Gatlin is a specialist in the 100m and the 200m categories. In 2005, he became the first to win both the 100m and the 200m world titles. He was a childhood fan of Mike Tyson and had initially been a hurdler.

 8 
Cathy Freeman
(Australian Former Sprinter Who Specialised in the 400 metres Event)
Cathy Freeman
11
Birthdate: February 16, 1973
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Mackay, Queensland, Australia

Cathy Freeman is a former sprinter known for her achievements in the 400 meters events. Her personal best of 48.63, set at the 1996 Olympics, makes her the eighth-fastest woman of all time. She gave Australia an Olympic gold at the 2000 Olympics. Also a humanitarian, Freeman is credited with founding the Cathy Freeman Foundation.

 9 
Yohan Blake
(Jamaican Sprinter)
Yohan Blake
11
Birthdate: December 26, 1989
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: St. James Parish, Jamaica

Yohan Blake is a Jamaican sprinter who became the youngest 100 meters world champion when he won a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in 2011. He also won gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games as part of the Jamaican relay team. Yohan Blake is the second-fastest man in both 100 meters and 200 meters events.

 10 
Ben Johnson
(Canadian Sprinter Who was the World's 'Fastest Man' During the 1987-88 Season)
Ben Johnson
6
Birthdate: December 30, 1961
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Falmouth, Jamaica

Ben Johnson is a Canadian retired sprinter who was adjudged the world's fastest man during the 1987–88 season after he broke the 60m and 100m indoor world records. He is best known for his performance in the 1984 Olympic Games, where he won two bronze medals. Ben Johnson also won a gold medal at the 1985 World Indoor Championships.

 11 
Wayde van Niekerk
(South African Track and Field Sprinter Who Competes in the 200 and 400 Metres)
Wayde van Niekerk
6
Birthdate: July 15, 1992
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Cape Town, South Africa

Wayde van Niekerk is a South African athlete who competes as a sprinter in the 200 and 400 metres. He is the current Olympic and world record holder in the 400 metres. Wayde van Niekerk holds the world record in the 300 metres as well. He won the gold medal in the 400 metres event at the 2016 Olympic Games.

 12 
Mo Farah
(British Long-Distance Runner and the Most Successful Male Track Distance Runner Ever)
Mo Farah
19
Birthdate: March 23, 1983
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Mogadishu, Somalia
Long-distance runner Mo Farah shot to fame with his 10,000-meter and 5,000-meter wins at the 2012 London Olympics. The first athlete to score a quadruple double, Farah has won 10 major international titles. He became the European Athlete of the Year thrice and has also received the CBE.
 13 
Kelly Holmes
(Middle-Distance Runner Who Won Two Golds in the 2004 Olympics in Athens)
Kelly Holmes
13
Birthdate: April 19, 1970
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Pembury, Kent, England

Kelly Holmes is a retired English middle-distance athlete who specialized in the 800 meters and 1,500 meters events. She won gold medals for both distances at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Beginning her career with the British Army, she turned to professional athletics in 1993. She took part in her final major championship in 2004. 

 14 
Valerie Adams
(Retired New Zealand Shot Putter and Two-Time Olympic Gold Medallist)
Valerie Adams
5
Birthdate: October 6, 1984
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Rotorua, New Zealand
Star shot-putter of New Zealand Valerie Adams boasts of two Olympic golds and four World Championship titles. IAAF’s 2014 World Athlete of the Year, she was one of 18 children born to an English father and a Tongan mother and first gained attention after breaking a 20-year school shot-put record.
 15 
Paula Radcliffe
(British Former Long-Distance Runner)
Paula Radcliffe
10
Birthdate: December 17, 1973
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Davenham, Cheshire, England

Paula Radcliffe is a retired distance runner, credited with winning the London Marathon and the New York Marathon three times each. Born into an athletic family, she emerged as a running talent by the time she was in her teens, winning the world junior cross-country title at the age of nineteen, eventually. She held the Women's World Marathon Record from 2003 to 2019.

 16 
Asafa Powell
(Jamaican Retired Sprinter and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Asafa Powell
5
Birthdate: November 23, 1982
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Spanish Town, Jamaica

Asafa Powell is a Jamaican sprinter who set the 100 metres world record on two occasions between 2005 and 2008. He achieved international prominence in 2016 when he won a gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Asafa Powell has also won a couple of gold medals at the World Championships.

 17 
Marion Jones
(American Former World Champion Track and Field Athlete and Former Professional Basketball Player)
Marion Jones
4
Birthdate: October 12, 1975
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

Marion Jones became the first female athlete to win five track and field medals in a single Olympic game. She was, however, stripped of all her Olympic medals after she admitted to using steroids. She also spent 6 months in jail for being involved in a check-fraud case.

 18 
David Rudisha
(Kenyan Middle-Distance Runner)
David Rudisha
4
Birthdate: December 17, 1988
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Kilgoris, Narok County, Kenya
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 19 
Dick Fosbury
(American Retired High Jumper and One of the Most Influential Athletes in the History of Track and Field)
Dick Fosbury
6
Birthdate: March 6, 1947
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Portland, Oregon, United States

Dick Fosbury is an American former track and field athlete who specialized in the high jump. Widely regarded as one of the most influential athletes in track and field history, Fosbury revolutionized the high jump with a new technique which came to be known as the Fosbury Flop. Dick Fosbury also won the gold medal at the 1968 Olympics.

 20 
Merlene Ottey
(Jamaican-Slovenian Former Track and Field Sprinter)
Merlene Ottey
4
Birthdate: May 10, 1960
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hanover Parish, Jamaica

Merlene Ottey is a Jamaican-Slovenian retired track and field sprinter. She represented Jamaica in international events for 24 years before representing Slovenia for 10 years. In 1993, she clocked 21.87 seconds to set the world indoor record for 200 metres; she has been holding that record ever since. Merlene Ottey is also known for winning several medals at Olympic Games. 

 21 
Edwin Moses
(American Former Track and Field Athlete and Olympic Gold Medalist in the 400 m Hurdles)
Edwin Moses
7
Birthdate: August 31, 1955
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Dayton, Ohio, United States
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 22 
Maurice Greene
(American Former Track and Field Sprinter and Olympic Medalist)
Maurice Greene
6
Birthdate: July 23, 1974
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kansas City, Kansas, United States

Maurice Greene is a former track and field athlete and a former world record holder in 100-metre dash. Greene won four Olympic medals, including two gold medals, representing the United States of America in two Olympic Games. Maurice Greene also has five gold medals at the World Athletics Championships under his belt.

 23 
John Carlos
(American Former Track and Field Athlete)
John Carlos
6
Birthdate: June 5, 1945
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York City, United States

John Carlos is a former football player and track and field athlete. Carlos won a bronze medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics. After his track career, he helped organize the 1984 Summer Olympics as part of his work with the United States Olympic Committee. In 2003, Carlos was made an inductee of the USA Track & Field Hall of Fame.

 24 
Linford Christie
(The First European Athlete to Break the 10-second Barrier in the 100 m)
Linford Christie
5
Birthdate: April 2, 1960
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Saint Andrew, Jamaica

Linford Christie is a Jamaican-born British former sprinter who won gold medals in the 100 meters at the Olympic Games, the World Championships, the European Championships, and the Commonwealth Games. He is one of the most highly decorated British athletes of all time. He was awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1993. 

 25 
Gail Devers
(One of the Greatest and Most Decorated Female Sprinters of All Time)
Gail Devers
4
Birthdate: July 23, 1966
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, United States
 26 
Blanka Vlašić
(Former track and field athlete)
Blanka Vlašić
3
Birthdate: November 8, 1983
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Split, Croatia
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 27 
Daley Thompson
(British Former Decathlete and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Daley Thompson
4
Birthdate: July 30, 1958
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Notting Hill, London, United Kingdom

Daley Thompson is a British former athlete who specialized in decathlon. He has won gol medals in decathlon at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics. He also broke the world record for decathlon on four occasions. He also won three Commonwealth titles and is regarded as the greatest decathlete ever. 

 28 
Denise Lewis
(Former Track and Field Athlete Who Specialised in the Heptathlon)
Denise Lewis
6
Birthdate: August 27, 1972
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: West Bromwich, England

Denise Lewis is a British sports commentator and former athlete. She won the heptathlon gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and became the first European to win Olympic gold in the heptathlon. A two-time Commonwealth Games champion, Lewis also won silver medals in the 1997 and 1999 World Championships. She was also the 1998 European Champion. 

 29 
Liu Xiang
(hurdler, athletics competitor)
Liu Xiang
4
Birthdate: July 13, 1983
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Shanghai

Hurdler Liu Xiang created history by becoming the first Chinese Olympic gold medalist in any men’s track-and-field event. While he excelled in high jump in his younger days, he deviated to hurdles by 15. He has also earned gold medals at the world championships and the Asian Games.

 30 
Roger Bannister
(The First Athlete to Run a Mile in Less Than Four Minutes)
Roger Bannister
9
Birthdate: March 23, 1929
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Harrow, England
Died: March 3, 2018

British middle-distance athlete and neurologist Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister was the first athlete to run a mile in less than four minutes. Before achieving such feat, Bannister set a British record in the 1500 metres during the 1952 Summer Olympics. In the medical field, Bannister became a neurologist and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford.

 31 
Jarmila Kratochvílová
(Former Czech Track and Field Athlete Who Specialized in the 400 Metres & 800 Metres Events)
Jarmila Kratochvílová
4
Birthdate: January 26, 1951
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Golčův Jeníkov, Czech Republic

Jarmila Kratochvílová is a Czech retired track and field athlete known for winning gold medals in the 800m and 400m events at the 1983 World Championships and setting a world record in the process in the 400m event. In 1983, she also set a world record in the 800m event. Kratochvílová also won a silver medal at the 1980 Olympics.

 32 
Tyson Gay
(American Track and Field Sprinter)
Tyson Gay
7
Birthdate: August 9, 1982
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Lexington, Kentucky, United States

Born into an athletic family, Tyson Gay naturally developed an interest in sports. One of the fastest sprinters in both the 100m and the 200m categories, he was part of the 2016 Olympic relay team that was stripped of its medal for breaking game rules.

 33 
Efren Reyes
(Filipino Professional Pool Player Who is Widely Considered the Greatest Pool Player of All Time)
Efren Reyes
9
Birthdate: August 26, 1954
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Angeles

Efren Reyes is a Filipino professional pool player who is regarded as the greatest player of all time. Nicknamed The Magician, Reyes is best known for his ability to display numerous trick shots. Efren Reyes has also won more than 100 international titles over the course of his illustrious career. Reyes is a WPA World Eight-ball and Nine-ball champion.

 34 
Magnús Scheving
(Creator of the Children's Television Series ‘LazyTown’)
Magnús Scheving
4
Birthdate: November 10, 1964
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Borgarnes, Iceland

Magnús Scheving is best known as the creator of the BAFTA-winning children’s series Lazy Town, which has its roots in Scheving’s first book and centers around children’s fitness. The Icelandic aerobic gymnastic champion is also a motivational speaker and has previously been a fitness trainer at a school.

 35 
Armand Duplantis
(Swedish-American Pole Vaulter)
Armand Duplantis
6
Birthdate: November 10, 1999
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Lafayette, Louisiana, United States

Armand Duplantis is a Swedish pole vaulter. He currently holds the world indoor record with a height of 6.18 meters. When he was 15 years old, Duplantis won a gold medal at the 2015 World Youth Championships. He then went on to win a gold medal at the 2018 European Championships and a silver medal at the 2019 World Championships.

 36 
Jim Kelly
(American Athlete, Martial Artist and Actor)
Jim Kelly
6
Birthdate: May 5, 1946
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Paris, Kentucky, United States
Died: June 29, 2013

Athlete and martial artist Jim Kelly won hearts with his Afro hairstyle and his roles in action film such as Enter the Dragon and Black Belt Jones. Apart from films, he also excelled in karate, winning contests such as the International Middle Weight Karate Championship. He has also played professional tennis.

 37 
Teemu Selänne
(Former Finnish Ice Hockey Player Who Played as a Winger)
Teemu Selänne
5
Birthdate: July 3, 1970
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Helsinki

Teemu Selänne is a Finnish retired ice hockey player who played as a winger. Dubbed the Finnish Flash, Teemu is the highest scoring player from Finland in the history of the National Hockey League (NHL). In 2017, he became only the second Finn after Jari Kurri to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

 38 
Allison Stokke
(Pole Vaulter and Fitness Model)
Allison Stokke
5
Birthdate: March 22, 1989
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Newport Beach, California, United States

Allison Stokke became an internet sensation after a few of her images went viral when she was 17. The talented high-school pole vaulter earned the 2011 All-American honors. She later gained more fame as a fitness model and a sex symbol than as a sportsperson. She also failed her Olympic trials.

 39 
Michael Johnson
(American Retired Sprinter Who Won Four Olympic Gold Medals)
Michael Johnson
8
Birthdate: September 13, 1967
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Dallas, Texas, United States

Four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson remains the only man to win both the 200m and the 400m events in the same Olympics. He was the Track & Field News 1996 Athlete of the Year. In 2008, he returned his 2000 Olympic relay medal, as a teammate had taken performance-enhancing drugs.

 40 
Javier Sotomayor
(Former Cuban Track and Field Athlete)
Javier Sotomayor
3
Birthdate: October 13, 1967
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Limonar, Cuba
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 41 
Jan Železný
(Regarded as the Modern Era's Greatest Javelin Thrower)
Jan Železný
4
Birthdate: June 16, 1966
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Mlada Boleslav, Czechia

Jan Železný is a Czech retired track and field athlete who specialized in the javelin throw. With three Olympic gold medals under his belt, Železný is regarded as the modern era's greatest javelin thrower. Železný broke the world record on four occasions and currently holds the record with a throw of 98.48 metres. He is also a three-time world champion.

 42 
Antonina Krivoshapka
(Russian Athlete)
Antonina Krivoshapka
2
Birthdate: July 21, 1987
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Rostov-on-Don, Russia
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 43 
Francois Pienaar
(South African Retired Rugby Union Player)
Francois Pienaar
5
Birthdate: January 2, 1967
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Vereeniging, South Africa

Francois Pienaar is a former rugby player who captained the South African national team from 1993 to 1996. He is best-known for helping his team win the 1995 Rugby World Cup. In 2004, he was ranked 50th in a list named Top 100 Great South Africans. In 2005, he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame.

 44 
Eilish McColgan
(Scottish Middle and Long-Distance Runner)
Eilish McColgan
5
Birthdate: November 25, 1990
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Dundee, Scotland

Eilish McColgan is a British middle-distance athlete. She competes in the 3000 meters steeplechase and 5000 meters. She represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2016 Olympic Games. She won the Great South Run in Portsmouth in 2018. She has a degree in mathematics and accountancy from the University of Dundee. 

 45 
Sifan Hassan
(Ethiopian-Born Dutch Middle-and Long-Distance Runner)
Sifan Hassan
6
Birthdate: January 1, 1993
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Adama, Ethiopia

Sifan Hassan is an Ethiopian-born Dutch athlete who specializes in middle and long-distance running. She is best known for winning two gold medals at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. At the same Olympics, she also won a brone medal. Prior to her success at the 2020 Games, Sifan Hassan also won two gold medals at the 2019 World Championships.

 46 
Dafne Schippers
(Track and Field Athlete)
Dafne Schippers
0
Birthdate: June 15, 1992
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Utrecht, Netherlands
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 47 
Steve Cram
(British Retired Track and Field Athlete)
Steve Cram
4
Birthdate: October 14, 1960
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Gateshead, England

Steve Cram is a British former athlete who dominated the middle-distance running event during the 1980s alongside other athletes like Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe. During the summer of 1985, Cram set world records in the mile run, 2000m, and 1500m during a 19-day period. He is the first person to run 1500m under three-and-a-half minutes.

 48 
Suzy Favor Hamilton
(American Former Middle-Distance Runner)
Suzy Favor Hamilton
4
Birthdate: August 8, 1968
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Stevens Point, Wisconsin, United States

Suzy Favor Hamilton is a former middle-distance runner who participated in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Summer Olympics, representing the USA. Favor broke many hearts when she turned to prostitution which in turn ended her career as an athlete. She claimed mental illness as the reason for her downfall and is currently serving as a speaker at mental health conferences.

 49 
Donovan Bailey
(The First Canadian to Legally Break the 10-second Barrier in the 100 m)
Donovan Bailey
0
Birthdate: December 16, 1967
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Manchester Parish, Jamaica

Donovan Bailey is a retired Jamaican-Canadian sprinter. He once held the world record for the 100 meters and is considered the greatest Canadian sprinter of all time. Noted for his top speed, he became the first Canadian to legally break the 10-second barrier in the 100 meters. In 2004,  he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.

 50 
Grete Sadeiko
(Heptathlon)
Grete Sadeiko
4
Birthdate: May 29, 1993
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Türi, Estonia
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)