Scorpio Athletes

Nadia Comaneci is a Romanian former gymnast. One of the best-known gymnasts in the world, Comaneci has five Olympic gold medals under her belt. Credited with popularizing gymnastics around the world, Nadia Comaneci was honored by the Laureus World Sports Academy by including her in their Athletes of the 20th Century list in 2000.

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.

Indian track and field legend Milkha Singh, also known as "The Flying Sikh,” was orphaned during the Partition of India. The former army man won four Asian Games gold medals. He also competed in the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Summer Olympics, finishing fourth in the 400-meter event in 1960.

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.

Known as Awesome Dawesome, Dominique Dawes is a retired star gymnast from the U.S. who was part of the gold-winning team at the Atlanta Olympics. She also became the first African-American to earn an individual Olympic medal, with her bronze. She is also part of the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

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.

The great-grandson of English footballer Jock Rutherford, Greg Rutherford had a brief stint with Aston Villa football club before he focused on athletics. The Milton Keynes athlete won a gold at the 2012 London Olympics, while his 8.29m jump at the 2016 Rio Olympics won him a bronze medal.

Lester Piggott is an English former jockey. Piggott has 4,493 career wins under his belt and is considered one of the greatest jockeys of all time. In 1999, Piggott was ranked second in the top 50 jockeys of the 20th century list published by the Racing Post. In 2021, Piggott was inducted into the British Champions Series Hall of Fame.

J. C. Watts is an American politician, athlete, and clergyman. A multi-talented man, Watts played professional football in the Canadian Football League. From 1995 to 2003, he served as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives, representing Oklahoma's 4th Congressional District. 

Usman Ahmed is a British former professional boxer. He was active from 2006 to 2016. Over his career, he participated in 19 major fights, out of which he won eight. In 2009, he competed for the British and Commonwealth flyweight titles. He gained notoriety when he once danced to the ring, only to be knocked unconscious by his opponent.  

American ice-hockey player Max Pacioretty, who plays for the NHL team Vegas Golden Knights, has also captained the Montreal Canadiens in the past. He was knocked motionless in a 2011 game against the Boston Bruins but couldn’t recall the incident later. The McDonald’s Max 67 burger was named in his honor.

Swedish racing car driver Felix Rosenqvist has won both the Macau Grand Prix and the Masters of F3 twice. He has 3 wins in Formula E. Apart from racing, Felix loves skateboarding, hiking, and skiing. He enjoys music, too. He survived a crash during the 2021 Indycar series.

Gethin Jenkins is a Welsh former rugby union player. He is the sixth most-capped player in rugby union history with 129 international caps for Wales and five for the British & Irish Lions. He retired from his highly successful playing career in 2018 and became a coach. He has held numerous coaching positions at Cardiff Blues and Cardiff RFC. 

Remembered for the 17-year stint as the president of the UEFA, Lennart Johansson helped establish the Champions League, which gradually evolved into one of the greatest contests of the sport. He had humble beginnings as an errand boy at Forbo Forshaga, where he eventually became a CEO.

Andrew Sheridan is as much known for his towering 6’5” frame as he is for his game. The star rugby player came under the spotlight after singlehandedly destroying Australia at the autumn international at Twickenham in 2005. The legendary prop had a 12-year stint with the Sale Sharks.

Known as The Monster, for both his game and his 6’4” frame, Swedish former ice hockey goaltender Jonas Gustavsson played for the SHL team Linköping HC. He had previously also played for NHL teams such as the Toronto Maple Leafs. He also initially managed a cardiac ailment, along with his game.

With her 2007 World Youth Championship win, former junior gymnast and sprinter Asha Philip became first British female athlete to earn a global 100m title. A double mini trampoline world junior champion, she also boasts of a drama degree. She has won relay bronze medals in the Rio and Tokyo Olympics.

Rugby player Charlie Hodgson was a prominent fly-half for Sale Sharks and Saracens. He has also represented England and been part of the 2005 Lions tour. He also has a record 2,625 premiership points. Post-retirement, he has turned his focus to his leadership coaching company, Charlie Hodgson Performance.

Winner of the 1959 Nobel Peace Prize, Philip Noel-Baker was an ardent advocate for disarmament, working for international peace and cooperation. Involved with the formation of the League of Nations, he was a noted athlete, a renowned academic, a prolific writer and a Labor politician who was elected to the House of Commons. He held several ministerial posts before becoming a life peer.