15 Amazing Bodies of Female Pole Vaulters

Pole vaulting is a sport that combines strength, speed, and grace to soar to impressive heights. This feature highlights the training regimens, personal stories, and commitments to fitness of 15 remarkable female pole vaulters from around the world, giving us a glimpse into the sheer determination and passion that powers their journeys to the top. From Jenn Suhr's dedication to fortifying her body through nutritional awareness and targeted exercise, to the fierce competitive spirit that drives Anzhelika Sidorova, every vaulter shares a unique path in pursuit of their goals. Join us as we take a closer look at the inspiring stories and fitness regimens of these incredible athletes. Stay tuned for tips, insights, and a dose of motivation straight from the experts themselves, as we delve deep into the worlds of these outstanding women.

1. Jenn Suhr

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Jenn Suhr shared some of her favorite workouts with Women Fitness. “I love lunges forward and backward. I feel like they open up my hips and build strength. What I like the most is they can be done anywhere! To help combat injuries, I make sure I am fortified with the right nutrition. I also make sure I layer when I warm up for practice. I find heating my body up really well before I start impact helps loosen my muscles and joints. I also am big on small intrinsic muscle exercises so at least twice a week I do a simple routine that makes sure I work the small muscles that often get ignored in major lifts. A lot of elites get massages and therapy but it has probably been at least 6 years since I got a massage. I have a hard time laying still for that long so I would rather do a strengthening and stretching routine myself to help my muscles relax and rebuild.”

2. Katie Moon

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To keep herself in shape for pole vaulting, Katie Moon has to do full body workouts. “Legs — as we need to be fast and explosive on the runway and into takeoff,” she explains to Oxygen Magazine. “Upper body — to press the pole up and away from you, and then shoulder strength to help swing upside down faster. Core strength is very important, as well.”

3. Sandi Morris

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Sandi Morris shared how she stays motivated to compete in an interview with The Guardian. “We’re motivated to keep competing and stay in shape because you can’t lose it. Even taking a month off, that’s a long time. It takes double that time to get back into peak condition, in my opinion and from my experience. So you take a week off, you need a couple of weeks to feel sharp again.”

4. Anzhelika Sidorova

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After winning gold, Anzhelika Sidorova talked about how she approached it in an interview. “I felt confident at every height,” she said. “I set two outdoor personal bests of 4.90 and 4.95, but I even didn’t think about that. I was focused to clear every height at my first attempt, because it was the only chance to win. A few weeks ago I cried when I lost the Diamond League final. Now I’m glad I was beaten there. It made me angrier, stronger and much more focused on the main season’s goal.”

5. Stacy Dragilia

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Stacy Dragilia might be retired from pole vaulting, but she’s still staying in shape. She loves to ski, and goes on regular mountain trips with her friends. Dragilia shared these highlights from a trip on Instagram. She captioned the post, “Year 3 at Baldy with @mehldawg12 adventure friend! What a fun hill to ski. Quads are screaming tonight!!”

6. Katerina Stefandi

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Katerina Stefandi shared her workout secrets with Women Fitness. “To be quite honest, I lift less and less weights every year. I noticed that created more injuries and less gain. We do a lot of core and functional strength exercises. I think people often forget that pole vault is an explosive event and they go crazy with their lifting and running. At the end of the day I don’t care to just be fit, I care to be pole vault fit.”

7. Holly Bradshaw

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Holly Bradshaw made sure to keep training during lockdowns. In an interview with Athletes Weekly, she shared what she was doing at home. “My coach and I tried to come up with some quirky ideas,” she says. “I’ve taped a tin of beans to the end of a cut pole to make it a bit heavier and I’ve been doing drills and pole runs in the garden to try and keep my brain ticking over.

8. Mary Saxer

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In a 2015 interview with Vaulter Magazine, Mary Saxer talked about how she trains for vaulting. “My training varies depending on the time of year,” she says. “After my month hiatus in the fall, I begin training pretty hard. Fall training consists of running workouts, such as short speed endurance in order to get the heart rate up, but without pounding my legs into the ground by running unnecessary miles on end. I begin vaulting from short runs to overly focus on technique. During this time, vaulting is high rep in order to really feel out body positioning. Vaulting on the runway is complimented with drills off the runway. Drills are often gymnastics based. During the fall, the weight room is heavy in order to gain strength to withstand the training and long year of competitions ahead. This time of year my workouts are usually several hours and sometimes twice a day.”

9. Eliza McCartney

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Eliza McCartney talked about her favorite outdoor workouts with Body + Soul. “My favourite is walking my dog, Daisy. We are lucky to live near beautiful beaches and parks, and I love that I get to be out there with her every day, rain or shine. Yoga outside in summer is another goodie. I like to do it in the shade of a big tree, so I can look up and see the light coming through the leaves and the birds singing away.”

10. Alana Boyd

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Alana Boyd talked about what she loves about vaulting in an interview with Sport For Women. “I love the feeling of completing a hard training session. But most of all I love putting all the hard work into practice in big competitions and seeing the hard work pay off with good performances. That feeling of getting a jump right and flying over the bar is like no other!”

11. Nina Kennedy

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Nina Kennedy talked about her pole vaulting goals in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald. “The plan is to just keep building. The girls that are winning medals and are up there are getting into their thirties. I definitely feel like I am one of the young ones coming through and I just want to continue this momentum.”

12. Kelsie Ahbe

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Kelsie Ahbe talked about how her marriage has helped with her vaulting to the Akron Beacon Journal. “It’s nice to have a person in my corner. It makes training easier, I would say, to have that person supporting me. I don’t feel like I’m doing it myself. But even in terms of that, moving forward, whatever happens, there are two of us now making decisions about what’s best for us. So, in the long run, we’ll see. In the meantime, I’m going to be out running hills and doing push-ups. That’s all I can do.”

13. Angelica Bengsston

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Angelica Bengsston talked about her fitness routine with Women Fitness. “I love all exercises that includes the arms. During the day, I do handstands anytime I have the chance, and before I go to sleep, I find that some pushups help to get tired enough to fall asleep faster. Other exercises I love are muscle ups in the olympic rings, straight pullovers (typical pole vault exercise) and jerk.”

14. Liz Parnov

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In addition to being a vaulter, Liz Parnov won the most recent season of Australian Survivor. She talked about her approach to the game in an interview with TV Week. ''The one thing I said to myself before going into Survivor was that 'I just want to be myself'. I didn't want to change or try to be anyone different and the feedback I've gotten back from friends and family is that I have stayed 100% true to myself and I just love that because that is an authentic journey for me, and I honestly wouldn't change it for the world.''

15. Anicka Newell

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Anicka Newell talked about her favorite exercises with Women Fitness. “Abdominal and Core workouts are my favorite. I absolutely love the burn of a good ab routine. Some of my preferred exercises include; hanging leg raises on a high bar, Swimmer crunches, medicine ball sit up and throws, ab roll-outs, and variations of planks. There are so many different core exercises. I love trying out new routines on a daily basis to switch it up!”

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.”

Discover the inspiring stories of 20 remarkable female track and field athletes whose dedication and hard work have propelled them to the top of their sport. From Jemma Reekie's mindset of self-belief to Jasmine Camacho-Quinn's fearless competition mentality, these athletes offer insights into their training regimens, nutrition choices, and the mindset that drives their success. Dina Asher-Smith's sleep-focused preparation, Kelsey Lee-Barber's holistic approach to wellness, and Allyson Felix's balanced diet are just a few examples of the diverse strategies employed by these athletes. Join us in celebrating their achievements and learning from their extraordinary journeys.

1. Jemma Reekie

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In an interview with Scottish Athletics, Jemma Reekie talked about how she preps for competitions. “I knew there would be a process, making the step-up, but felt with hard work I could get there. The athletes at the top of the sport are working so hard to be there. I just felt I had to have a mindset that I could join them. I always feel that telling yourself you can do it is one the main things that helps you make the leaps forward.”

2. Dina Asher-Smith

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In an interview with The Guardian, Dina Asher-Smith talked about how she preps for competitions like the Olympics. “Sleep and training are my highest priorities and I need a minimum of eight hours’ sleep. You can train yourself to be better at it; I won’t lie on my bed unless I’m going to sleep. If I’m travelling to a different time zone, I’ll start adjusting before I leave. I’ll get up at 4am, even if I’m a zombie.”

3. Kelsey Lee-Barber

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Kelsey Lee-Barber shared her approach to health and wellness with Coles.com. “Healthier living means taking a wholistic approach. It includes being physically fit and full of energy, investment in my mental health and well-being and it’s fueling by body with fresh and wholesome foods.”

4. Ajee Wilson

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Ajee Wilson shared some of her wellness secrets in an interview with Byrdie. “A healthy and balanced diet has been the core of my regimen. And you can try your best with that, but there are always deficiencies that arise. So, I'm super excited to partner with Thorne and their Better Health campaign to fill in those gaps and make sure that I'm coming to the line as healthy as possible.”

5. Keely Hodgkinson

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Keely Hodgkinson talked about her training regime to Runnersworld.com. “A lot of people find my training quite weird, because I don’t really do slow stuff. Long runs are not really a thing in my training plan except in the summer, because that’s when the track sessions get more intense, so that’s when you need the slower recovery days. In winter, I do a lot of cross-training to try to keep off my feet. Too much time on my feet and I end up getting loads of stress responses. So it’s cross-training on Mondays. On Tuesdays, I’ll do a session on the cross trainer and then I’ll do a track session. Wednesdays are a 30-minute run and 40 minutes on the cross trainer, plus some gym work. Thursdays are similar to Tuesdays, but with maybe more of a tempo-type session. I always have Fridays off, then Saturdays in the winter will be a longer session and in the summer a track session. Sundays in the winter will be hills, and in the summer I’ll do a 15-minute run.”

6. Allyson Felix

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In an interview, Allyson Felix talked about her favorite healthy meals. “I usually keep breakfast light: yogurt and granola. In transit to the gym, I’ll have an acai bowl or some type of smoothie. Lunch is a salad with protein and fruit. And then for dinner (that’s my biggest meal) I eat a lot of fish, brown rice or sweet potatoes and veggies. Asparagus is one of my favorites. And zucchini.”

7. Elaine Thompson-Herah

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Elaine Thompson-Herah talked about the successes she’s had and how she pushes herself to WorldAthletics.org. "It means a lot to me as a Jamaican because we are such a strong sprinting nation. The 100m and 200m are such special events and we (Jamaicans) like to put our marker on that podium…The record(s) are not really in range and will be a stretch for me, although I hope to break one. All I’m doing is taking my training step by step."

8. Eleanor Patterson

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In an interview with NSWIS, Eleanor Patterson talked about finding her identity. “One thing I’m hellbent on proving to myself is I’m a person outside of being an athlete; having that balance in life is huge,” she says. “Even after becoming the world champion, I was really determined not to let that change me. I like to be a humble person . . . a hard worker . . . And keep things simple. I’m someone who doesn’t like to draw a lot of attention to myself.”

9. Zoe Buckman

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Prior to the 2016 Olympics, Zoe Buckman talked about her mindset in an interview with Runners Tribe. “This season I’ve just been focused on one race at a time. You have to focus on being calm throughout the process and what you have to do in the race, and I try to stop short of thinking of the outcome. There are many steps to take before Rio- race, train in Laguna, go to the holding camp…so plenty to think about in the meantime.”

10. Jana Pittman

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In an interview with Marie Claire, Jana Pittman talked about how she handles criticism and life in the spotlight. “I had a lot of negative media as a young person and it really hurt, because I'm someone who is just very keen to be liked,” she said. “Nowadays, I accept that everyone isn’t going to like me, and I feel like I'm making such a difference by having these conversations that I put my own personality aside in that respect.”

11. Michelle Jenneke

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Michelle Jenneke shared her exercise routine and training process to Body & Soul. “I do three track sessions a week, and they can be from 2-3 hours each, which can be full on. You do some warm up, a hurdle session, and then a sprint session after that.”

12. Caitlin Sargent-Jones

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Caitlin Sargent-Jones likes to run anytime and anyplace. She shares a bunch of running videos on Instagram. In this video, she is seen hiking and crossing stones in a river. Sargent-Jones captioned the post, “Wet weather adventures on Yugambeh county.”

13. Nicola Olyslagers

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Prior to the 2021 Olympic Games, Nicola Olyslagers talked about how she’s approaching her career to The Guardian. “I don’t take it for granted – I know it could be cancelled – but if it goes ahead I will be enjoying it and taking it all in. It will be a miracle. But I am going there with a mission to get a medal – I will enjoy it, but I have a game plan.”

14. Asha Philip

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In an interview, Asha Philip talked about how she stayed motivated to recover from an injury. “It was just the fact that I saw the small steps I was taking – so being able to move my leg without assistance from crutches or my other leg. Learning how to jog without a brace, that’s what made me think ‘okay yeah I can do this.’”

15. Katarina Johnson-Thompson

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After a nearly career-ending injury, Katarina Johnson-Thompson is working on getting to the Olympics, and getting her first medal. “I've never won an Olympic medal,” she told BBC Sport. “That's something that is in the back of my mind for next year, for sure, looking at the bigger picture. Obviously, I want a world medal - but everything I'm doing this year, even the World Championships, is for Paris."

16. Ashleigh Nelson

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Ashleigh Nelson shares a lot of her favorite workouts on Instagram. She makes sure to do a variety of different things. In this video, Nelson does crunches while throwing a ball at a wall. She captioned the post, “Be mindful of the language you used to talk to yourself, IT’S POWERFUL!!!”

17. Morgan Lake

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Morgan Lake opened up about her diet in an interview on Redbull.com. “The week before a big competition it’s really important to get enough protein to refuel after your training sessions and enough carbohydrates, normally 48 hours before the competition to ensure you’ve got enough energy. Obviously, a competition can last up to two hours, or even more, so that’s probably the most important thing. For breakfast I usually have avocado on toast, with either smoked salmon or egg, so I’ve always got carbs, fat and protein first thing in the morning. Lunchtime kind of depends on what day it is, so if I’m training again that afternoon I’ll probably have something a bit higher in carbohydrates, like a chicken pesto wrap or tabbouleh and falafel. Dinner is where I try and get protein in, so I have something like salmon or a tuna steak with sweet potato and veg.”

18. Emma Coburn

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Emma Coburn broke down a typical training day with EatingWell. “In a usual week, I'll have three ‘ workouts,’ which are more-intense sessions. Sometimes those workouts are on the track, sometimes they are just a long 15-mile run with a faster finish. So, every day is a little bit different. On non-workout days, I run 8 to 12 miles. Sometimes 8 miles easy in the morning, then 4 miles easy in the evening. If it is a workout day, we meet for practice, then conduct our workout. The workout usually adds up to 12 miles. Then, we head to our gym and lift weights for an hour.”

19. Gabby Thomas

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In an interview with The Healthy, Gabby Thomas revealed some of her wellness secrets, including her workout routine. “A typical workout routine for me is about three hours of running, believe it or not, and then a lift. So we do a lot of sprinting, a lot of running around in circles on the track, and then we like to do some explosive things in the weight room.”

20. Jasmine Camacho-Quinn

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Jasmine Camacho-Quinn talked about the mindset she has when competing to Olympics.com. “I'm trying not to stress myself out…And there's nothing for me to be afraid of because (I tell myself) ‘everybody you're lining up against, you already raced. You know these girls, you are always competing against them.’”

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.

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.”