#14: Diana Nyad: Long Distance Swimmer and Advocate
Diana Nyad is proof that an athletic career isn’t over until you say it’s over. At 64 years of age, Diana became the first person in history to swim more than 100 miles from Florida to Cuba. She had attempted this feat five times before and finally succeeded in 2013. What’s even more amazing is that she spent over two days in the water unaided by the usual shark tank that most long-distance swimmers use.
In a culture that is obsessed with youth, Nyad has changed preconceived notions of what a woman athlete looks like and is capable of. In addition to her incredible swimming career, she has also been outspoken about the rampant culture of sexual harassment in the world of swimming. She told her own story of abuse at the beginning of the #MeToo reckoning, and has encouraged other female athletes to stand strong in their own stories and experiences.