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11 Badass, Record-Breaking, Up-and-Coming Female Athletes to Watch in 2020

31/12/2019 - 12:25 AM

It's true: 2019 was a YEAR for women's sports — and 2020 has us even more excited. The big event is, of course, the 2020 Summer Olympics [1]; we're eager to watch the debut of four new sports [2], including surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing, plus the return of the USWNT and the US Gymnastics Team, where the GOAT Simone Biles [3] will be surrounded by talented new faces. Meanwhile, the race for the NCAA Women's Basketball title is already heating up. On the tennis circuit, a competitive set of young players is looking to make things difficult for veterans like Serena Williams.

Basically, there's a lot to be excited about in the world of women's sports and the growing group of badass athletes who are leading the charge. Ahead, meet the ones we're keeping tabs on in 2020. You'll find us here for the next 365 days, cheering on every incredible female athlete we see. We're so ready for you, 2020.

Kate Courtney

In 2019, Kate Courtney became the first American in 17 years to win the overall World Cup [5] in cross country mountain biking. In the process, she also stamped her ticket to the 2020 Olympics, where she has a real chance to become the first American to medal since 2012. (No American has ever placed higher than third.) At 23, Kate is leading what some are calling a new "golden age" of American cycling [6]; 2020 could be her year to prove it to the world.

Sydney McLaughlin

The world of women's 400m hurdles was dominated this year by two Americans: Dalilah Muhammad and Sydney McLaughlin [7]. At the 2019 World Championships, both athletes were so far ahead of the field [8], they were practically running another race. Dalilah won the world title and broke the 400m world record [9] twice; she's had her breakout year. Now it's Sydney's turn: she finished second at the world championships with a personal best time, the third fastest in history, but was clearly hungry for more. She'll get her chance at the Olympics next year, which promises to be another showdown between these two up-and-coming track stars.

Sunisa Lee

Sunisa Lee [10] was already being touted as a rising star for US Gymnastics [11] even before her performance at the 2019 World Championships. There, she bagged a bronze on the uneven bars and silver on floor, bested only by the GOAT herself, Simone Biles. It's a solid foundation to build on heading into 2020, where Sunisa will be competing against a stacked American field for a coveted Olympic slot.

Sabrina Ionescu

You could argue that Sabrina Ionescu, a guard on Oregon's women's basketball team [12], had her breakout season in 2019, leading the Ducks to their first Final Four and, in November, a historical victory over the US Women's Basketball team [13]. But that March Madness run didn't result in a national title, which is what Sabrina and her team are truly hungry for. Now a senior, Sabrina has racked up nearly 2,000 points, almost 800 assists, and over 700 rebounds over her career (as basketball fans know, that's a lot of triple-doubles) and has a chance to really leave her mark by taking her team to the National Championship.

Regan Smith

Swimmer Regan Smith made major waves (sorry, we had to) when she broke two world records [14] at the 2019 FINA World Championships, one of which belonged to Missy Franklin. The backstroke specialist is just 17 and recently committed to swim at Stanford [15], the former training ground of both Katie Ledecky [16] and Simone Manuel. Though she won't have a chance to qualify for the Olympics until the Trials next year, Regan is setting herself up as the one to beat.

Lacey Baker

Lacey Baker is a seven-time X Games medalist in skateboarding street who's currently ranked fifth in the world [17] and another American skater making a run for the Tokyo Olympics. But beyond their success on the board, Lacey is also an icon in the LGBTQ+ community, pushing for inclusivity in skateboarding and even being featured in Miley Cyrus's "Mother's Daughter" video [18]. We're predicting that, with the help of (cross your fingers) an Olympic qualification, 2020 will be the year that Lacey's message of equality goes global. (Note: Lacey identifies as queer and gender non-conforming [19] and competes in female skating competitions.)

Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff [20] made 2019 her year. She beat Venus Williams at Wimbledon [21] and, in October, secured her first WTA Singles title [22]. The 15-year-old can't play a full season until she turns 18 (a WTA rule implemented to prevent athlete burnout), but her rapid rise to the top of the tennis world makes us think the next decade will be Coco's for the taking.

Rose Lavelle

In a Women's World Cup that was filled with jaw-dropping moments, Rose Lavelle [23]'s virtuoso, take-on-the-whole-opposing-defence goal in the Final [24] was still enough to make you stop and stare. It capped off a tournament in which Rose managed to stand out on a team full of standouts, even taking home the Bronze Ball as the tournament's third-best player. She's peaking at the right time, because USWNT have a bone to pick at the 2020 Olympics; in 2016, the team went home medal-less for the first time since the sport's Olympic debut in 1996. Fresh faces like Rose, Samantha Mewis, and Lindsey Horan are going to be a big factor as the team looks to reclaim gold.

Brooke Raboutou

In August, Brooke Raboutou became the first American to qualify for the Olympics in sport climbing [25], a sport that combines three disciplines of rock climbing: lead climbing, speed climbing, and bouldering. Brooke already has several world titles under her belt and comes from a family of climbers (her mom won four consecutive World Cup titles [26]), and she'll need all of that experience and grit to compete for Olympic gold. One of Brooke's primary goals at the Games, though: to grow her sport [27] in front of a global audience.


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