Top 100 Female Athletes

Picking the 100 best female athletes off all time isn’t the sort of thing just anyone should wade into, but Sports Illustrated for Women decided it was worth the risk of verbal (or even physical) abuse.

Alas, the magazine folded after publishing its final issue in December of 2002, so maybe it wasn’t such a hot idea after all.

Before riding off into the sunset, the editors managed to compile their version of the best female competitors of the previous century. It’s a little dated, obviously, but still worth a look, since most of the great ones are in little danger of losing their spot.

Curious who made it…and who didn’t?

We’ll run down the Top 10:

1. Jackie Joyner-Kersee: Track & Field

2. Babe Didrikson-Zaharias, Track & Field

3. Billie Jean King, Tennis

4. Sonja Henie, Figure Skating

5. Martina Navratilova, Tennis

6. Chris Evert, Tennis

7. Bonnie Blair, Speed Skating

8. Wilma Rudolph, Track & Field

9. Nadia Comanici, Gymastics

10. Tracy Caulkins, Swimming

No, we’re not leaving you high and dry here. You can still check out the rest at the SI for Women web site.