Swimming always has an asterisk because there's no track events where you can run backwards or sideways to get more medals. I think the best female soccer player(s) in the world and/or the best female tennis player (the two women's sports with the most parity) by default (because of the competition) almost automatically gets the title of best female athlete.
I have to go with Babe Didrikson Zaharies, she won gold medals in the 1932 Olympics, 80m hurdles and Javelin Throw, and a silver in the High Jump, the only athlete male or female to win medals in running, throwing and jumping events she played in four PGA tournaments making the cut in three, finishing as high as 33rd, and made it through qualifying not sponsors exemption. She also won 82 women amateur and pro tournaments, 10 of them majors, was one of 13 founding members of the LPGA, oh and was an All American in basketball. Lastly she was the highest ranked female at 10 on the ESPN 20th Century list
Basically you can make the argument that she belongs in the discussion of greatest athlete of all time. I don’t think you can make that argument about Katie or any other women
Swimming always has an asterisk because there's no track events where you can run backwards or sideways to get more medals. I think the best female soccer player(s) in the world and/or the best female tennis player (the two women's sports with the most parity) by default (because of the competition) almost automatically gets the title of best female athlete.
I have to go with Babe Didrikson Zaharies, she won gold medals in the 1932 Olympics, 80m hurdles and Javelin Throw, and a silver in the High Jump, the only athlete male or female to win medals in running, throwing and jumping events she played in four PGA tournaments making the cut in three, finishing as high as 33rd, and made it through qualifying not sponsors exemption. She also won 82 women amateur and pro tournaments, 10 of them majors, was one of 13 founding members of the LPGA, oh and was an All American in basketball. Lastly she was the highest ranked female at 10 on the ESPN 20th Century list
Basically you can make the argument that she belongs in the discussion of greatest athlete of all time. I don’t think you can make that argument about Katie or any other women
Ledecky is up there, but I still favour Simone Biles.
I’d vote for Jackie Joyner-Kersey. Absolutely dominant in her sport