14 Amazing Bodies of Female 2024 Olympians

The buzz has started, John Williams' fanfare has begin and soon you'll be tuning in: The 2024 Summer Olympics are right around the corner, running from July 26 through August 11th. The breadth is impressive. Archery, badminton, basketball, fencing, golf, even table tennis are among the dozens of sports represented. And within each are some of the most impressive women ever to grace the field. How do they stay so fit? Simone Biles, Valarie Allman, Regan Smith and more have shared their tips in the past and here we've collected them for you.

1. Simone Biles

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Simone Biles is making her return to the Olympics this summer. She shared some of her training secrets with Women’s Health. “I eat what I feel good with and try not to overeat or stuff myself because I’m always at the gym. For gymnasts, in particular, [tracking] can lead to health problems and eating issues, so I just eat what I know I can and should.”

2. Alex Morgan

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Soccer star, Alex Morgan, shared her wellness secrets in an interview with Buzzfeed. She says that she makes sure to eat a healthy diet. “I also make sure that nutrition is a part of my daily routine. A morning protein smoothie sets the right tone for the rest of the day by providing me with the sustained energy I need to conquer whatever comes my way.”

3. Carissa Moore

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Surfer Carissa Moore shared her training routine with Red Bull. “It’s important to find the best waves to train in. My schedule always flows from trying to find good surf. If the waves aren’t good, I’ll probably go for an hour, but if it’s good, I’ll surf more like three to four hours. I usually spend 40 minutes every morning warming up, especially when I’m on the road, doing moves that activate me and make me feel good. I use a band to activate my glutes, and I do dead bugs for my core. I also do a couple sun salutations to get the blood flowing.”

4. Valarie Allman

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Discus thrower, Valarie Allman, shared some of her favorite workouts in this video on Instagram. She captioned the post, “Day 2, Week 1 of a new cycle and getting closer to COMPETING 🥳Power Snatch • 5 X 5 @ 60kg. Trap Bar Dead Lift • 4 X 5 @ 165, 180, 195, 210kg. Chin-Ups • 3 X 10. Goblet Lateral Lunge • 3 X 10e.”

5. Regan Smith

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Swimmer Regan Smith talked about handling pressure with Swimming World Magazine. “Nerves and pressure before meets is something that I’ve struggled with for most of my swimming career. I think what gives me a lot of confidence is just believing in the work that I’ve put in all season. Being with a coach and a program that I believe in and that I know I’m getting work done in helps me feel the most confident. This past year, I’ve never felt better in practice. I know I’ve never worked harder in my life and I just feel like I’ve done a complete 180 from where I was at this time a year ago.”

6. Andi Sullivan

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Soccer player, Andi Sullivan, shared her love of journaling in an interview with The Player’s Tribune. “I like to make lists, a list of things that I could do, or need to do, and even just spewing out my thoughts. Sometimes my teammates laugh at me on our Zoom calls because I have a piece of paper, and I’m always scribbling down things that people say, or thoughts that I have in the moment. I think now is the time for me to experiment with things like journaling.”

7. Naomi Osaka

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Tennis player, Naomi Osaka, shared some of her favorite products with CNN. She says that applying sunscreen is an important part of her routine. “Putting on sunscreen every morning is the most important step in my skin care routine,” she says. “Despite being a mineral-based sunscreen, it doesn’t leave a harsh white cast and instead leaves me moisturized and glowing, thanks to its sheer, caramel tint.”

8. Leah Smith

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Swimmer Leah Smith opened up about overcoming setbacks with USA Swimming. “What I learned through my heartbreak of missing the Olympic Team in 2021 and my comeback to make the World Championship Team in 2022 was invaluable, and my journey taught me so much about my team, my coaches and myself. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was looking for when I decided to keep swimming after 2021, but this past year of swimming has invigorated me, and I am excited to attack my journey to 2024 with passion and energy and a new level of gratitude for my surroundings.”

9. Rose Lavelle

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Soccer player Rose Lavelle opened up about building confidence, especially after an injury to Well + Good. “My confidence comes in ebbs and flows, so having a sports psych has been a huge part of my professional career. Anybody that goes through a long-term injury or just any injury in general, it's hard physically. However, it felt 10 times harder mentally coming back from it. My psychologist helps me keep my head above water.”

10. Alyssa Naeher

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For soccer player, Alyssa Naeher, having a morning routine is important. “Something that I found that was helpful in all the chaos of being on the move was if I could at least start my day the same way, then it would give me some semblance of normalcy,” Naeher said to Graham Hays. “For me that became waking up, having some quiet time, grabbing a coffee, doing a crossword, reading a book — just having that quiet time to myself in the morning, I can do that anywhere and that starts my day.”

11. Emily Sonnet

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Soccer player, Emily Sonnet shared her team’s typical training routine with US Soccer. “We don't often lift heavy weight, but we do get a lot of reps in. We've also did a lot of testing at the beginning of camp to measure our range of motion, agility, flexibility, etc. We really appreciate having that kind of feedback because of course want to do everything that can help us win, always.”

12. Mallory Swanson

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Soccer player, Mallory Swanson, shared her advice for young girls in an interview. “I think having that mindset of, ‘If you want to be something in life and you want something in life, just go do it.’ Push forward and push the boundaries. If you want to be something in life, go do it.”

13. Stephanie Gilmore

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Surfer, Stephanie Gilmore, shared her training routine with Vogue. “I wake up and I go through a 15-minute activation routine to wake up my body. A little yoga mixed with some breathing, just kind of waking up so that I’m not just looking into my phone for an hour, trying to get the body to know it’s daytime and let’s go—and that’s before I’m eating anything. Then we’ll go surfing. It depends what the surf’s like, but the surfing will be a good hour and a half, at least where I’m paddling heaps, catching as many waves as I can, and it’s actually a great workout. I think that the best training for surfing is just to go surfing.”

14. Lynn Williams

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Soccer player, Lynn Williams, makes sure to eat a healthy diet, and that means eating enough carbs. She shared a favorite post-game snack with Women’s Health. "I feel like we're losing so many carbs when we're running. [I] also want them to hit at the right times because the games are so long, and I found that pancakes just do the trick for me.”

The Summer Olympics are coming! The Games of the XXXIII Olympiad (aka Paris 2024) run from from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 11, 2024. So we're getting hyped for one of our favorite events: Swimming. Several women have made their mark on the swimming world. From Katie Ledecky, to Janet Evans, to Simone Manuel, these women have won medals, broke world records, and made history. How do they stay so fit? Read on for their wellness tips.

1. Katie Ledecky

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Katie Ledecky has won multiple medals in the Olympics. She shared her training secrets in an interview with E! News. Ledecky opened up about her diet in it. “I keep it pretty consistent. The only day that I don't train is Sundays, so even right now when I'm taking a little bit of time off, I'm trying to stick to a pretty regular routine. So oatmeal for breakfast, some sort of egg sandwich for lunch, or eggs with toast and then dinner is what varies the most but it is either carbs or some sort of protein: chicken, steak, salmon, something along those lines.”

2. Missy Franklin

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Missy Franklin has won multiple gold medals. She shared her favorite breakfast options with People. "Nutrition is a big part of my training. If I'm not fueling my body with the right things then I'm not going to perform the way I need to. "I'm very proud of myself because I've mastered the omelet flip in the pan. I almost always make omelets just so I can flip them—that's the most exciting part for me.”

3. Dara Torres

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Dara Torres is the oldest swimmer to win an Olympic medal. She opened up about her diet in an interview with Parade. “I had an eating disorder in college and it took me a while to get over it and I really developed a fear of foods. And so my philosophy is to eat healthy, but if you have a craving for something, don't deprive yourself; just have a little bit of it to help with the craving that you have. My philosophy is that if you are keeping yourself from eating certain things and not having what you want, you're gonna want it more than you should. So that's the biggest thing with me with diet. I try to eat my proteins every day and my fruits and vegetables. But I do have a sweet tooth. I can't deny that.”

4. Natalie Coughlin

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Olympic athlete Natalie Coughlin opened up about the importance of recovery in an interview with Kinetic Fix. “Recovery and rest is becoming much more important as I get older, but on the flip side there are some benefits to getting older: I’m much stronger, and I maintain that strength better than before. But as you age you tend to break down faster, so it’s really important for me to keep my strength and ease back when I swim, focusing more on race relevance.”

5. Emma McKeon

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Emma McKeon is an Olympic medalist, known for her butterfly and freestyle strokes. She shared her wellness secrets and her daily routine with Women’s Health. “Depending on what day it is, I’ll also have a physio appointment. They will focus on my shoulders because I use them so much, then just any other little niggly or tight things that need maintenance. So far I’ve been pretty lucky not to have any proper injuries, just little niggly things that will go away after some regular physio treatment.”

6. Lilly King

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Lilly King is an Olympic athlete. She shared how she prepares for meets in an interview with Swimming World. “It’s a little weird because I am always preparing for the race. I am constantly thinking about the outcome I want to achieve. I also only think about the best-case scenario, which I find not a lot of others do. I really try to only think about the positives.”

7. Sarah Sjöström

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Sarah Sjöström has multiple world records for swimming. She shared her typical diet in an interview with Irmas World. “During my hard training periods I try to make sure I eat enough protein and carbs to recover better. I don’t count calories, I have just learned how much I need. I also try to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between meals at the same time every day. During competitions, I have protein/energy bars and after competitions and trainings protein and carb shakes or bars help me regain my energy.”

8. Rebecca Adlington

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Rebecca Adlington is a gold medalist in the distance freestyle. She revealed to Hello! Magazine that she loves avocado. "For me, I love avocados and stuff like that. Obviously they are high in fat - it is one of those difficult things - but I'm not going to tell you to eat four avocados, and certainly, be careful what you're eating it with. For me, it's great to just have a bit of avocado with some eggs or something like that, because it does fill you. I think a lot of things, when you're eating fruit and vegetables, you're kind of hungry an hour after, whereas things that last and can help you survive the whole day are obviously better. I love avocado and eggs, simple things."

9. Summer Sanders

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Summer Sanders is a gold medalist and a sports commentator. She shared her diet secrets in an interview with SELF. “My healthiest habit is eating a healthy breakfast every morning. I never miss breakfast. As a busy mom, there will be days when I'm cruisin' along and I'll look at the clock and I haven't eaten lunch. And I'll run downstairs and I'll start shovelin' stuff down the pie hole, and I'll think, ‘That was no lunch at all.’ But breakfast has sort of turned into the new dinner, where you can sit down with your family and have a conversation. And my kids talk at breakfast. We talk about our dreams, talk about our nights' sleep, talk about what we wanna do today and be positive.”

10. Janet Evans

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Janet Evans is one of the most successful female swimmers. She opened up about her diet in an interview with Mom.com. “I eat a banana prior to my morning workout. I think protein is very important when you are training as hard, as you’re breaking your muscles down. So I usually have a protein shake or some eggs or something that gives me a little protein after my workout. I also have a scoop of my Metamucil to keep my cholesterol down–I have a history of heart disease in my family. Then, for lunch, I usually have something that’s going to sit well in my stomach because I have to go back to training. So I usually have a turkey sandwich or something of that nature. And dinner, I come home and make something healthy for my kids and husband. Once again, kind of protein-based, but basically trying to get enough fuel to get back up and do it all again the next day.”

11. Leisel Jones

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Leisel Jones is a world champion in breaststroke. She shared her morning workout in an interview with Women’s Health. “It’s time for a full-body workout at Perform 360 at Enogerra, Brisbane. It’s an intense fitness session and it really works my whole body – it’s a strength session with some conditioning at the end. Strength and conditioning training is a great combo for improving speed and power and also mobility, mind and stability. I love it.”

12. Haley Anderson

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Haley Anderson is an open water swimmer in the Olympics. She tells Cosmopolitan that she likes to weightlift. “My lifting workout started with a 15- to 30-minute dynamic warm-up for mobility and muscle activation. Then I moved into some power-lifting moves (mainly medicine ball throws) and transitioned into a mix of lower and upper body exercises. I worked in some extra exercises with my weight-lifting coach to strengthen my shoulder blades and shoulders, areas that can get torn down when you swim as much as me.”

13. Simone Manuel

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Simone Manuel became the first African-American woman to win gold for an individual event. She revealed that she suffered from overtraining syndrome in 2021. Manuel talked about this to Sports Illustrated. “I think especially as athletes, we sometimes think that taking rest is a sign of weakness, but with the grueling and daunting schedules that we have, it’s really important to listen to your body, but also your mind when you need to take some time for yourself.”

14. Allison Schmidtt

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Allison Schmidtt talked about how her diet changes due to her cycle to Orreco. “I didn’t realise how important carbohydrates were and the need to eat more carbohydrates around certain periods of training. So many coaches throughout my career told us that carbs are bad for you and make you fat. I didn’t learn that training the female body is different to training the male body. We have to train differently and eat differently to men, and that knowledge has given me such a big advantage to help understand my body and reach the highest peak.”

15. Olivia Smoliga

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Olympian Olivia Smoliga shares her secrets for building confidence with Jolyn. “Don’t let the fear of failing stop you from doing what you want. Every time I stepped up on the blocks at Olympic Trials, the first time being when I was 17, I was so nervous! And that’s an understatement. At that time, there were no backstroke wedges so you just had to do a start on touchpads that had no gripping on them. So there was a huge chance I could slip. I practiced and practiced to make sure I wouldn’t, and yet I still thought about it as I walked out for the final. But I knew I wanted to be there! I knew I could do something special! No matter what my fears were telling me. And at those trials, I made it to the final of the 100 back. How will you know what you can do, if you never try? No one cares if you fall on your face. They will admire that you even had the courage to even go after your goals in the first place. You shouldn’t care what others think anyway, but let that give you some solace next time you wanna try something out of the ordinary.”

16. Cate Campbell

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Cate Campbell is a world champion and holds a medal for the Olympic sprint freestyle. She tells Body & Soul that sleep is a big part of her wellness routine. “Having a good sleeping routine is really important for me. I make sure the TV is off at 9pm, then I listen to music while I clean the kitchen and get ready for bed. I try and make my bedtimes as consistent as possible during the week – especially if I have training the next morning.”

17. Stephanie Rice

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Stephanie Rice won three gold medals at the 2008 Olympics. She shared how she trained for the Olympics with Body & Soul. “When I was training, everything was extreme and the focus was not on looking a certain way – it was on the actual performance element of looking like that, so food was fuel; it wasn’t an enjoyment thing. I needed X amount of calories, or X amount of protein for muscle recovery so it was very science based.”

18. Kathleen Baker

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Kathleen Baker is a champion in backstroke. She also has Crohn’s Disease. Baker tells Olympics.com that this has made her appreciate swimming a lot more. “Crohn's disease has given me an immense love and appreciation for my sport that I feel like you can really only have when you've had something taken away from you, or feel like it could be taken away from you. So when I compete, I compete for such a love of what I do and the process to get there, not only just the success or the racing, but truly just a love for my sport.”

19. Abbey Weitzeil

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Abbey Weitzeil won silver in the 2021 Olympics. She talked about how she overcomes challenges in an interview on Speedo’s website. “I train and do what I can control, and I tell myself that whenever I’m having a tough time… You’re going to have some good days and some bad days, and sometimes you’ll have bad weeks or months too. As long as you enjoy the ride and love what you do then these challenges are easier to face.”

20. Penny Oleksiak

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Penny Oleksiak was the youngest Canadian to win at the Olympics. In an interview with Narcity, she revealed how she is recovering from knee surgery. “My focus kind of shifted. Right now I'm strengthening my knee still and still kind of working on that and trying to make sure it's always healthy. But right now my shoulders are kind of my biggest rehab thing that I'm getting over.”

In the world of figure skating, these remarkable women not only astound us with their grace on the ice but also inspire us with their dedication, resilience, and unique stories. From Olympic champions to rising stars, each skater possesses a captivating narrative that goes beyond the rink. Join us as we delve into the lives and experiences of these extraordinary athletes, discovering their training routines, personal struggles, and insights into maintaining their well-being. These are the incredible women who embody the spirit of figure skating, captivating audiences worldwide with their artistry and athleticism.

1. Evgenia Medvedeva

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Evgenia Medvedeva talked about the support she’s had in her career to Olympics.com. “Everybody in this life has to believe in themselves, [but] we’re not always in the power to do this,” she said. “So we have to have people around us who will believe in us even more than we are believing in ourselves. Sometimes you are in situations [where], I mean, really hands down, you don't know what to do. You just have to have at least one person who will sit in front of you and say, 'Look, you're loved; you're great. Yeah, it's hard time, but we will go through this and you will be amazing.’ So that's it.”

2. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva

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Elizaveta Tuktamysheva talked about her training process in an interview with RSport. “Skaters usually have a break for two or three weeks. Therefore, if it is possible to somehow train your vestibular apparatus on a spinner, for example, or to somehow spin at home, there will not be such a problem when an athlete will be back on the ice. At least, there will be some muscle memory left. It's not the same as if you are back on the ice after an illness or after 6 months long recovery from a surgery. During this period we all train at homes and understand that will be back on the ice pretty soon, our brain is already focusing on the fact that we can’t relax, we will need to return to a competitive shape rather soon. We already haven’t practiced for a very long time, and the brain understands that you can’t completely relax - you watch performances, watch figure skating - and it works. Well, of course, there will be a new season, everything will start from scratch.”

3. Mariah BellMariah Bell shared her workout secrets in and interview with NBC Olympics. “I train from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with several breaks throughout. I wake up at 7:30 a.m. I am training on ice until 3 and then off ice until 4 or 5. Besides being on the ice, I enjoy either riding bikes or just going for walks.”Gracie GoldGracie Gold notably spoke out about her mental health struggles. She talked about this decision at the International Athlete Forum. “At first I didn’t want to come out about (mental health) because of the stigma, which made me feel like I was the only one who wasn’t strong enough. But I got hundreds and hundreds of responses from athletes at all levels and in all sports, saying ‘me too.’”Karen ChenKaren Chen shared her go-to workouts with Women Fitness. “My strength and conditioning coach is in charge of giving me a workout card to follow and allowing me to make tweaks that I feel like would benefit me more. Most of the exercises involve just body weight or bands and usually target the core. As for my day off, I like to do some fun dance workouts and blogilates (Cassey Ho) videos on YouTube.”Mai MiharaMai Mihara notably did not qualify for the 2022 Winter Olympics. However, she said in an interview that she’s not letting it get her down. “This was a big blow for me. Perhaps I wanted to go there too much and could not cope with my nerves. Of course, now my main goal is to get to the next Olympics; my dream is Milan 2026. But I try not to make that mistake again and not to think much about it. Now I go slowly, step by step, year after year.”Bradie TennellBradie Tennell shared her skincare secrets with Women Fitness. “I have super sensitive skin, so I have to be really careful with what I put on it. I really love Shaklee’s acne clarifying complex for stubborn breakouts. I just dab a bit of it on the blemish, and by the next morning it’s usually gone. As for my hair, I always have it in a bun for training because it is very thick. I try to find hair products that are paraben free and my absolute favourite ones are from Shaklee. It leaves my hair feeling so soft and shiny.”Mirai NagasuIn an essay for TODAY, Mirai Nagasu talked about her approach to wellness. “I’ve found that healthy route. I know I have to go to the gym a couple times a week to stay fit and be healthy so that I feel good about myself. I do have to watch what I eat because of my sport but also because of my health. But everybody's different. Everybody deserves a cheat day and sometimes I take that more often than necessary! At the end of the day, it’s all about loving who you are and our message to young people out there is: The sooner you learn to love yourself and the skin you’ve been given, the better life will become.”Tara LipinskiTara Lipinski shared her diet secrets in an interview with People. ​​“Since exercise and diet have been a part of my life since I was young, I know balance and moderation are key,” she said. “One of the biggest lessons I learned from my athletic career is that I must listen to my body to stay at peak performance levels. But when I need to splurge, I splurge. And then when I need to bring it back to greens and fruit, I do.”Michelle KwanMichelle Kwan shared her fitness secrets in an interview with Repeller. “I exercise in the morning at least five or six days a week, sometimes seven. It’s instilled in me and I love it. It makes me feel energized. I can’t wait until the evening to exercise or I get too tired, plus I don’t like having it hang over me throughout day. I usually rotate between pilates on the reformer or hot yoga or core power. When I’m traveling, I do my own routine — a combination of yoga, skating moves I can do on the floor, plyometrics, planks and stretching.”Kristi YamaguchiKristi Yamaguchi shared her workout secrets in an interview with Women Fitness. “I like to do 30 minutes of cardio a few times a week. Either the elliptical or walking or riding stationary bike. Then some exercises that incorporate my own body weight or very light free weights, as well as some pilates inspired moves.”Amber GlennIn 2019, Amber Glenn came out as bisexual, and talked about this in an interview with D Magazine. “It was a world of difference,” Glenn says. “I no longer felt like I was trying to convey myself as something I wasn’t. I felt like people were finally seeing me for who I was, both off the ice and on.” Nancy KerriganIn an interview with Yahoo Life, Nancy Kerrigan says that she makes sure to exercise on a regular basis. "It's definitely a challenge for me to face reality that I'm not 25 and I can't stretch as far as I used to and I can't move as easily," she says. "But if I stop moving, which I've done — I take time off and I don't do anything — I feel worse. I feel it's harder to move. Everything's a little more challenging. So it's important to keep going."Nica DigernessNica Digerness doesn’t just like to figure skate in the winter. She also likes to ski. Digerness shared this photo on Instagram of herself and her friends on a ski trip together. She captioned the post, “Fun ski day celebrating Mark's birthday!”Ashley WagnerAshley Wagner shared one of her favorite recipes with Us Weekly. She says that she likes to make quinoa bowls with broccoli and chicken. “It’s really customizable. That makes it fun for me. I can mix it up without getting bored of the recipe. You can trade out the quinoa for rice, or the broccoli for kale. It has all the nutrients I need as an athlete.”Danielle HarrisonIn addition to skating, Danielle Harrison likes to swim to stay in shape. She shares a lot of posts on Instagram of herself in the water. Harrison posted this photo of herself wading in a pool, captioning it, “Pool days & good vibes yes pls.” She also shared this photo of herself swimming in Mexico. Brooklee HanIn an interview with Edges of Glory, Brooklee Han shared how she recovered from her achilles surgery. “My recovery from my Achilles tendon rupture is still ongoing. I have more or less recovered my range of motion and stability, but I am still working on regaining my strength in that ankle. That being said, I am so shocked at how quickly I have recovered from this and am so grateful for everyone’s support during this incredibly challenging time.”Kaori SakomotoIn an interview, Kaori Sakomoto talked about her hopes for the figure skating community. "I think figure skating can be perceived differently by each viewer," Sakamoto stated. "So, I would be happy if each person who watches my performances can feel something in their own way. Whether it's positive or negative feedback, how they interpret it is up to them. In the midst of that, I believe it would be wonderful if the audience could empathize with and understand the feelings and messages I wanted to convey through my performances and programs."Rachael FlattIn an interview with Figure Skaters Online, Rachael Flatt talked about her decision to step away from the sport. “I left skating when I was emotionally ready and injury-free for the first time in almost eight years. Even though it wasn’t anywhere near my best, it was the right time for me. That made the transition to focus solely on my last year at school more manageable, and I am still proud of the decision I made.”Loena HendrickxIn an interview with Figure Skaters Online, Loena Hendrickx talked about how she prepared for the competitive season. “I really felt that the post-Olympic season training was much harder than training the year before, where everything was like easy. Last season, I struggled a lot mentally. I really had to train harder and it was harder for my body as well. So that’s also the thing that I’m most proud of because at Worlds, the mental part was there again. But it was there [at Worlds] that I enjoyed skating again. Before Worlds, it was just like, ‘I have to compete, I have to train’, and the love of the sport was disappearing a bit. And then I was talking with my mental coach [Eline Berings], and she said, like, ‘Why are you doing this? Because you love this, right?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, sure. I do love this.’ But I lost the feeling of it. And because of her [Eline], I got the feeling back. And at Worlds, that was the first competition that I really enjoyed because I was there and I was proud of myself. I didn’t want to have any pressure on me. There were a lot of expectations (on me) and that was just something different that I had to learn to adjust to.”

The Olympic Games Paris 2024 is in full swing. Along with the medal count, people are trying to keep track of some of the hottest female athletes at the highly hyped international sports event. From swimmers and pole vaulters to basketball phenoms, these “genetically blessed”—in the words of the Daily Mail—women are gaining attention for more than just their athletic abilities.

1. Luana Alonso

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Luana Alonso, a Paraguayan swimmer, is a student at the University of Texas. Spending hours in the pool every day helps the breaststroker keep her curves in check. Just two and a half hours per week of aerobic physical activity, such as swimming, bicycling, or running, can decrease the risk of chronic illnesses, says the CDC. In addition to the many physical benefits, there are multiple studies supporting the mental health benefits of swimming as well.

2. Alica Schmidt

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Alica Schmidt, a German track star, is often dubbed the “world’s sexiest athlete.” Clearly a big part of Alica’s stay-fit routine is by doing a lot of running, which, per the Mayo Clinic, is great for cardiovascular health, muscle building, and weight loss. “For every mile run, the average person will burn approximately 100 calories,” they say. She also works out in a gym doing battle ropes, kettlebell exercises, working out with a medicine ball, or lifting weights.

3. Alysha Newman

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Alysha Newman of Canada is a pole vault star who is very active on social meida. She follows a (mostly) clean eating diet. "It's extremely important to put the proper nutrients in your body, especially during long, hard, and critical practices," she told Bodybuilding.com. “If you don't eat right, it's like putting cheap gas in your car. Yeah, it'll drive, but not as well as it should. Our bodies are the same way." She also avoids trendy diets. “I've experimented over the years to understand which foods work best for me personally. Everyone's body reacts differently to food so you can't just pull a pre-made diet off the shelf. You need to learn what's right for you.”

4. Molly Caudery

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In addition to track, Molly Caudery, a pole vaulter from the UK, enjoys Pilates. In an Instagram video, she shows off her Pilates moves on a reformer. According to the Mayo Clinic there are lots of benefits to Pilates, as it “strengthens the body's inner core while increasing its flexibility resulting in improved overall health. It can also promote longer, leaner muscles, injury prevention, relief from stress and back pain, enhanced athletic performance, and heightened mind-body awareness.

5. Hailey Van Lith

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Hailey Van Lith has made a name for herself in NCAA women’s basketball playing for teams like Louisville, LSA, and Southern Methodist University. Now the gorgeous blonde is taking on the world with her first appearance at the Olympics. Hailey is a “pescetarian now,” she revealed in a video. She eats “just fish and eggs” and “no chicken, no red meat,” she said. “I eat dairy products, but not animals.” She also dished to ESPN that she has a hobby in the kitchen – she is “addicted” to baking shows. “I’m a little baker,” she said. “I watch all the shows.

From gymnastics to swimming, track and field to boxing, these athletes have honed their bodies to perfection. Discover their secrets, from unique training routines and dietary preferences to mental resilience and recovery strategies. Each champion, like Simone Biles challenging societal beauty norms or Sue Bird's dedication to an anti-inflammatory diet, offers a unique perspective on what it takes to reach the pinnacle of athletic achievement. Join us on this journey into the exceptional lives of these remarkable athletes.

1. Simone Biles

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While Simone Biles may compete in gymnastics, she doesn’t believe in competing with other women in society. She talked about this on Instagram. "Let’s talk about competition," she shared. "Specifically the competition I didn’t sign up for and feel like has become almost a daily challenge for me. And I don’t think I’m the only one. In gymnastics, as in many other professions, there is a growing competition that has nothing to do with performance itself. I’m talking about beauty.”

2. Katie Ledecky

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Swimmer Katie Ledecky tells Shape that she does a full-body strength training workout three times a week. "It's pretty full-body because that's what swimming is," explains Ledecky. "I think core strength is incredibly important in swimming — it's that connecting piece between your arms and legs. So we work on strength and we work on power because you have to have that power coming out of the starting blocks and on all of the turns, as well as a good jump."

3. Allyson Felix

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Track and field star Allyson Felix tells Women’s Day that she’s changed her approach to training as she’s gotten older. “I think when I was younger I always felt like I wanted to do as much as I could — quantity was everything — and now that I’m older, and as a mom, it’s really quality over quantity. It’s about training smarter. For me, being able to focus on recovery allows me to come back and get quality work the next day as well.”

4. Mikaela Shifrin

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Skier Mikaela Shifrin talked about her training process to Sports Illustrated. She says that before a competition, she likes to eat pasta. “I feel a lot more energy in every way for the race,” she explains. “That’s a theory I believe in.”

5. Claressa Shields

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Boxer Claressa Shields shares her fitness secrets with Muscle and Fitness. “My boxing routine requires strength and conditioning workouts in the morning. Then I’ll train again with another two- to three-hour boxing session. I’ll hit the bag or pads with my coach and work on certain combinations. Then it’s working on the game plan and watching film. All that is about three hours. At the end of the day, there may even be a nighttime session or just an early morning session the following day.”

6. Sakshi Malik

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Wrestler Sakshi Malik shared her workout and training secrets with GQ. “Fitness is the most important thing – it is impossible to perform if you’re not fit,” she says. “This sport is so tough that you require each part of your body to be strong. While power and strength need to be constantly worked on, I like to work on my techniques quite a bit. In addition, it is also important to work on your mental strength and discipline. In a sport like wrestling, you need to make split decisions to go into attack or defense, and without the right focus, you can’t achieve this.”

7. Elaine Thompson-Herah

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Track and field star Elaine Thompson-Herah works with trainer, Stephen Francis, to keep her in Olympic shape. She says that Francis has really helped with her career. "I don’t know what it was but Stephen saw something in me that I did not see,” Thompson-Herah told World Athletics. “He told me I could do better in training and that I was not producing the times on the track that I should be. He told me not to be scared of people, be less serious, smile more and shake it up."

8. Dina Asher-Smith

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Track and field athlete Dina Asher-Smith shared her training secrets with Runner’s World. She says that there’s one type of workout she avoids. “I don’t lift weights. There are lots of other ways to get power. It’s not about how much weight you can throw around, but how well you use the power that you have.”

9. Erin Jackson

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Speed skater, Erin Jackson, shared her mindset when she trains with Shape. “My inline coach from back in Florida, Renee Hildebrand…used to always say, 'Perfect practice makes perfect,'" says Jackson. "It's not just 'Practice makes perfect' — if you practice something the wrong way, then you're just going to reinforce the wrong way. That's something I've held onto over the years, to make every practice count."

10. Brittany Bowe

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Recovery is important to speed skater, Brittany Bowe. She shared her favorite ways to do so with SELF. “After a tough day, I’ll get into an epsom salt bath. I put some lavender oil in there. I typically use Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salt in a few different combinations, and especially enjoy the lavender. I’m definitely a bath person—I take a couple baths a week to wind down.”

11. Naomi Osaka

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Tennis star, Naomi Osaka, likes to make smoothies before and after she works out. She shared some of her go-to ingredients with Us Weekly. ​​“My favorite fruits to add in are strawberries, blueberries, and a frozen banana – sometimes I add mangoes,” she said. “My go-to trick is, if fruits are starting to go bad, rather than waste them I cut them up and place them in portion-sized baggies and freeze them so they are ready to go for my shakes. In addition to some ice, I add in BODYARMOR LYTE Coconut for some extra vitamins and antioxidants.”

12. Jade Jones

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Taekwondo athlete, Jade Jones shared her post-lockdown training process with Women’s Fitness. “I’m making sure that everything I do is so I’m in the best possible shape for when it’s my time to fight in July. I train Monday to Friday, usually twice a day. I put in as much as I can into each session, and then try to recover corr,ectly, get the right amount of sleep, eat the right things, and take my Bioglan supplements to keep myself healthy. Knowing I’m doing all I can to be at my best gives me confidence and is part of my mental preparation.”

13. Rose Lavelle

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Soccer player Rose Lavelle opened up about her training process to Well + Good. She says that she values her recovery time. “Today, rest is vital and I can’t play as much as I did as the load is so much more,” she says. “Now it’s a balance, and I have to prioritize the off-field piece and everything that I’m doing to help best prepare my body to be able to perform on the field.”

14. Kelsey Mitchell

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Kelsey Mitchell tells the National Post that she eats a lot of protein to help with her cycling. “Protein is obviously super important. But I think that’s the one thing that’s ingrained in us in society. It’s like, if you’re working out and you’re lifting, you’re tearing those muscle fibres — you need protein to build it back up. I kind of struggled with figuring out that I needed carbs for energy.”

15. Ginny Thrasher

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Gold medal rifle shooter, Ginny Thrasher, talked about her wellness routine in the caption of this Instagram post. She says that she doesn’t like to take supplements. “Regarding supplementation, I personally take a minimalist approach. I try to get my nutrients from my diet and whole foods, only using supplements as needed to help boost anything I need. People often ask what specific supplements rifle shooters should take, but I think it’s more about what’s PROVEN, NECESSARY, and SAFE rather than looking for a performance benefit that pills just won’t give you unless you need it.”

16. Marianne Vos

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Cyclist Marianne Vos talked about her approach to the Olympics in an interview with Soigneur. “I lost myself in my preparation for the Olympic Games. The satisfaction is temporary— I know that. When you wake up the day after winning the world championships, you are still Marianne. Winning a race does not necessarily make you happier. It is the road to it that counts.”

17. Emma McKeon

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Swimmer Emma McKeon talked about her diet and how it evolved to Rescue. “At times, I used to just eat whatever I wanted, even when training, and I would end up being exhausted and not have enough energy to get through training sessions. So I have learnt what foods I need to eat and how much I need to eat to fuel my body, and learnt which foods to choose instead of filling up on things that aren’t going to fuel me for intense training.”

18. Cate Campbell

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Swimmer Cate Campbell shared some of her healthy habits with Body + Soul. She says that sleep is important to her. “Having a good sleeping routine is really important for me. I make sure the TV is off at 9pm, then I listen to music while I clean the kitchen and get ready for bed. I try and make my bedtimes as consistent as possible during the week – especially if I have training the next morning.”

19. Dana Vollmer

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In an interview with ESPN, Dana Vollmer talked about how she manages pain while swimming. “That's something over the course of my career I've had to learn: what is good pain and what is bad pain? The pain in burning from using your muscles is different than the pain of hurting something. The 50 free is short, that's why I'm doing it. And my doctor said there is really no risk at all. I made a joke about doing a belly flop and [the doctor] said even that would be fine. As long as I'm cautious with the warm-up and keep some space between myself and the other swimmers, that's really the only issue at all.”

20. Sue Bird

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Basketball star, Sue Bird, shared her wellness secrets with GQ. She says that while she believes in the 80/20 rule with her diet, she cuts out and limits some things. “I don't eat dairy, and I've been gluten-free ever since I took a blood test that showed I have a mild allergy to gluten. I stick with all anti-inflammatory foods: tons of veggies, eggs, chicken and fish. I will have some red meat, but only every now and then. There’s very little sugar, if any, because I save that for my cheat days. I like rice bowls a lot. That's been my new thing this year—I’ll have some brown rice, sweet potatoes, chicken, and mixed veggies.”