Famous Athletes - List of Famous Athletes

Athletes are the persons involved in the sport of athletics. Athletics include track and field events such as running, throwing, walking and jumping, the most common events being long distance running, cross-country running, and race walking. Athletics are very popular due to the fact that that such competitive events are simple to be organized and do not require expensive equipment. Mostly athletic events are individual sports though there are exceptions like relay races and cross-country races. Athletics have their origins in the ancient Olympic Games that were first held in 776 BC in Greece. Athletes have to maintain a very strict and healthy lifestyle which includes paying significant attention to their diets and exercise routines. They have to undergo a stringent training and practice routine in their chosen sports in order to compete professionally. Being a professional athlete is physically taxing and mentally exhausting. Since athletes are in their top form for only a few years, they are able to actively participate in competitive sports only for a limited period of time.  Also they face the risk of injuries that might limit or even end their career. Some athletes may become coaches and instructors after their retirement from active sports. Browse this section to know about the life and works of various famous athletes from all over the world.

The Most Famous Athletes

NameBirthdayNationalityBio
Sebastian CoeSeptember 29, 1956BritishSebastian Coe is a British former track and field athlete turned politician
Hadi SaeiJune 10, 1976IranianHadi Saei Bonehkohal is a former Iranian taekwondo athlete who has won 2 Olympic gold medals for his country
Fatima WhitbreadMarch 3, 1961BritishFatima Whitbread is a British former javelin thrower who is a two-time Olympic medalist
Nadia ComaneciNovember 12, 1961RomanianRomanian athlete Nadia Comăneci is credited for being the first female gymnast to score a perfect 10 in the history of Olympics
Satcha PrettoApril 5, 1980HonduranSatchaPretto is an Emmy award-winning journalist for the largest Spanish-language television channel in the United States
Stefka KostadinovaMarch 25, 1965BulgarianStefka Kostadinova is a former Bulgarian athlete and the reigning world record holder in the women’s high jump
Milkha SinghNovember 20, 1929IndianMilkha Singh is a former Indian track and field sprinter also known as The Flying Sikh
Roger BannisterMarch 23, 1929BritishRoger Bannister is an English doctor, academic and a former athlete
Maurice GreeneJuly 23, 1974AmericanMaurice Greene is a renowned American former track and field sprinter
Gail DeversNovember 19, 1966AmericanGail Devers is an American retired track and field athlete counted amongst the fastest track and field athletes of all time
Carl Lewis

Carl Lewis

Carl Lewis is one of the greatest track and field athletes that the sporting world has till date witnessed

AmericanJuly 1, 1961251 views

Ashton Eaton

Ashton Eaton is an American decathlete who holds the world record in both the decathlon and indoor heptathlon events

AmericanJanuary 21, 1988143 views

Daley Thompson

Daley Thompson is an English former decathlete who is a four-time world record holder and winner of two Olympic gold medals

BritishJuly 30, 1958242 views

Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Jackie Joyner-Kersee is an American retired track and field athlete who won three Olympic gold medals at different games

AmericanMarch 3, 1962201 views

Fatima Whitbread

Fatima Whitbread is a British former javelin thrower who is a two-time Olympic medalist

BritishMarch 3, 1961668 views

Steve Cram

Steve Cram is a British retired track and field athlete counted amongst the top male runners of the 1980s

BritishOctober 14, 1960229 views

Sergey Bubka

Sergey Bubka is a former Ukrainian pole vaulter and the first one to clear 6.0 meter mark

Linford Christie

Linford Cicero Christie is British former sprinter considered as the most decorated male British athlete ever

BritishApril 2, 1960118 views

Maurice Greene

Maurice Greene is a renowned American former track and field sprinter

AmericanJuly 23, 1974382 views

Justin Gatlin

Justin Gatlin is an American sprinter who won the gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics 100-meter race in 9.85s