Women in the world of sports media often walk a tightrope and are often demonized for their looks. However, some have broken through this glass ceiling. Linda Cohn, an ESPN trailblazer, has paved the way. Cohn has grown to be one of the most versatile personalities on the network since 1992 when she was hired.
Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick, an NASCAR racer, has won multiple championships. She has been awarded multiple championships, and she was the sport’s most popular driver many times. Danica is also an avid fitness enthusiast and philanthropist. Her attractive personality and fit body have won her many loyal fans.
Patrick began her career driving karts, but quickly moved to racing. In 2005 she became the youngest person ever to win the Indianapolis 500. Currently, she is the only female driver to have won the IndyCar Series. She continues to break female sports record to this day.
Lindsey Vonn
Lindsey Vonn has a long history as a skier and an athlete of international standing. She is one of most decorated women in history of the sport. She has won many international titles, including the Downhill World Championships, three consecutive world championships, and the overall World Cup Championship. She is also a role-model for women in sports.
Lindsey Vonn was raised in Minnesota, and started skiing at an early age. She started racing at seven years old and progressed to international competitions. She participated in World Junior Championships as well as World Cup events and was crowned World Cup champion in 2004. Vonn went on to win the overall World Cup title in 2008 and again in 2010.
Michelle Kwan
Michelle Kwan's interest in figure skating began at a young age. At the age of five, she followed her older sister on the ice and fell in love with it. Danny and Estella Kun, Estella's parents, are Chinese immigrants from Hong Kong. The Kwans were reunited at a school graduation. Her father was a phone company employee, and her mom ran the Golden Pheasant restaurant near Torrance, California. Michelle started serious training at age eight. She would practice for three to four hours daily. However, her time commitment was so significant that her family had to struggle to pay.
Kwan was coached by Rafael Arutyunyan (respected technician) in the fall of 2003. The pair skated to "The Feeling Begins," for the short program, as well as "Tosca" (for the long program). At the U.S. Championships, Kwan tied Maribel Vinson-Owen's record for U.S. women's figure skating with nine titles. The following year, Kwan qualified for the Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, where she competed under a new judging system. Kwan fell on a Triple Salchow and was two-footed as a Triple Lutz at the World Championships.
Cari Champion
Cari Champion, a prominent broadcast journalist, is a well-known name in the sports world. She co-anchors the noon edition of ESPN's flagship show and hosts the Be Honest with Cari Champion podcast. She has worked in broadcast journalism for several networks and has a wide-ranging knowledge of sports. In fact, she will speak at the 2019 program track entitled Pushing The Limits of Human Performance.
Cari Champion is a Pasadena native who attended UCLA. She has one older sister and two younger brothers. She has never been married, and she is not in a relationship with anyone.
Li Na
Li Na is a very well-known Chinese tennis player. She rose from humble origins as the daughter of an athlete whose dreams were derailed by political strife. She is now one of the most successful tennis players in the world and one of its wealthiest women. Most of her Chinese counterparts had never witnessed her play before she rose to fame.
She has been praised for her self-confidence and for her ability to inspire young Chinese. She isn't limited to the world of sports. Li Na is also an influential cultural entrepreneur who is influencing the Chinese society beyond sport.