Female athletes who inspired us in 2023

Now the most successful female skier in World Cup history has put it in writing: according to TIME's Magazine, the role model is one of the 100 most influential people in the world in the "Pioneers" category. And she wouldn't be herself if she didn't thank her support team in an emotional post, "without whom I wouldn't have been able to stand on the top step of the World Cup podium 90 times (as of November 2023): These achievements would never have been possible without my family, my team, my sponsors and all the fans of alpine ski racing." However, the 28-year-old is not only known for her emotionality, but also for her now vehement commitment to a more sustainable ski circus. In February 2023, she signed a letter in which 140 winter sports enthusiasts called on the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) to show more commitment in the fight against climate change.

Even though she is older than her running colleague Kelvin Kiptum, the two are united by their meteoric rise over the marathon distance and their nomination as World Athlete of the Year. However, Assefa already celebrated her first successes in the 800-meter distance as a teenager. And now she also pulverized the world record over the 42.195 kilometers in 2023. She needed just 2:11:53 hours for her run in Berlin. A year and a half earlier - at her very first marathon start - she had clocked more than 2.5 hours. She was certainly also spurred on by her miracle shoe: Adidas has developed an extremely lightweight running shoe with a carbon plate incorporated into the sole. According to experts, this should make running much more economical.

The Red Bull athlete once again stunned the competition in 2023. The 24-year-old seems to have a solution for every problem on the wall. The Slovenian is currently regarded as the best climber in the world and impressed with her double gold at the World Championships in Bern. Even though Janja toured Asia in October, she is still committed to climate issues. At the end of October, for example, she publicized her partnership with an energy house producer from her home country. In March of this year, she graced the Slovenian Cosmopolitan cover and showed a completely different side of herself: "I'm glad that I can share my sporting and personal story with others in this way without pretending."

She won her first medal at the World Championships in 2009 and medal number 21 at the World Swimming Championships in Japan in 2023, overtaking her idol Michael Phelps and setting a new record for the most podium places in individual swimming. The 30-year-old has also already booked her ticket for Paris. After Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio de Janeiro 2016 and Tokyo 2020(21), this will be her fifth Olympic appearance and she could be in with a chance of winning another medal. To do something different and train her body awareness at the same time, she currently likes to grab a surfboard - in Fuerteventura.

She says of herself that she is a mountaineer who dances with gravity in the mountains and that her happiness is where the rocks are. She used to offer climbing courses in Iran, but every time she traveled abroad and raised her voice for human rights, the danger for the activist increased. The sports scientist now lives in Italy because her commitment to women's rights has taken her away from her home country. A return to Iran is impossible. She has just spoken to Vogue Germany about freedom, security, politics and human rights. But the professional athlete is also leaving her mark on the climbing world: Eshqi has opened more than 80 new routes worldwide. She is currently nominated for the 21st Century Adventurer Award, with which the European Outdoor Film Tour (EOFT) celebrates the adventurers of our time. Until February 1, 2024, you can here to vote.

Child prodigy, talent of the century, exceptional striker: the commentators at the 2023 World Cup went into overdrive to even come close to doing justice to the 18-year-old footballer's achievements. Her meteoric rise is one thing, but her journey back to the top of the sport after being diagnosed with cancer at the age of 15 and undergoing chemotherapy is more than remarkable. The young Colombian is a role model for many women around the world who are struggling with a similar diagnosis: Anything is possible. Her contract at Real Madrid runs until 2027, so there is plenty of time for the young talent to test herself and consolidate her skills. And in addition to the award for the most beautiful World Cup goal, Caicedo recently dusted off the "Golden Girl" 2023 trophy.

Kristin Harila is currently trying to raise around 264,000 euros for the search and rescue of Gina Marie Rzucidl and Tenjen "Lama" Sherpa. The US-American and her Nepalese mountain guide were caught in an avalanche during a record attempt on Shishapangma in October of this year and have been missing ever since. The Norwegian athlete wants to bring them back to their families in the spring - and a mission of this magnitude costs a lot of money. Harila herself has already been accused this year of refusing to provide the necessary help to a dying Sherpa during her own world record attempt - including the now deceased "Lama". He had helped the 37-year-old Norwegian to set her record: To stand on all 14 eight-thousand-meter peaks in 92 days. This is probably why the date of her success, July 27, 2023, will remain forever in the mountaineer 's memory: on the one hand, she had to endure a lot of hatred and, at the same time, she now lost the friend who helped her celebrate this triumph.

Her namesake Elisabeth Egger (hand cyclist) competed at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo and Elisabeth "Eli" Egger is the first woman to cross the finish line at the Red Bull X-Alps. At the unofficial world championship in bivouac flying, she covered a total of 2,277.56 kilometers. She flew 1,997.98 kilometers with a paraglider and covered 279.58 kilometers on foot. She was recently asked why there are still so few women in the aviation scene and what sets them apart from men. "Women fly differently," said the superwoman. Her latest challenge: competing in the "Hike and Fly Championships" in the United Arab Emirates with flights amidst the towers of Dubai.

Will the running queen still be running ultras at the age of 66? Probably yes, because Courtney Dauwalter has just completed a 100-kilometer run with her mother Tracy. "She only started trail running last summer. Anytime is the perfect time to pursue a new goal," the US American proudly posted on Instagram. This summer, the 38-year-old showed what she is made of. The fashionista of the ultra scene crowned herself with a triple and became the first woman to win the three toughest 100-mile races in one year: Western States 100, Hardrock 100 and the Ultratrail du Mont Blanc. This currently makes her the best female ultra trail runner in the world.

When the 13-year-old whirls through the halfpipe on her skateboard, you get dizzy just watching her. 2023 was her year: the Australian was the first woman to do a 720 and is now in the Guinness Book of Records, as well as winning gold twice at the X Games in California. Incidentally, the 720 is considered one of the most difficult tricks - the skateboard spins completely in the air twice under her feet, i.e. 720 degrees. For a 13-year-old, the young Australian is already earning a bit of money: to date, she has managed to collect almost 60,000 US dollars in prize money. And the trend is rising. Her next goal: to compete in the Skateboarding Park discipline at the Olympic Games in Paris. If you want to support the young skateboarding star - you can find more information here.