Cathy Freeman
Cathy Freeman, when just 16 years old, made history when she won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games as the first Indigenous Australian. At age 5, her stepfather began training her for athletic competition in events like the 100-meters, the 200-meters, and long jump. However, the 400-meter dash was when she truly shone. She took home the gold medal in the 2000 Olympics and the silver in 1996 in Atlanta. Her time of 48.63 seconds in the 400-meter dash places her among the world’s quickest women. Cathy Freeman retired in 2003 to devote more time to her family, and in 2007 she established the Cathy Freeman Foundation.
Nastia Liukin
Nastia Liukin inherited her love of gymnastics from her parents and took to the sport with ease. The Russian-parents American’s took her and her younger brother and sister from Moscow to the United States when she was just two. Since she spent so much time at the gym with her parents in 2001, she decided to take her first class the following year, and by 2002 she was competing at the junior level. After finishing the competition, she tied for third position among American gymnasts with Shannon Miller in terms of total medals won at world championships. In addition to her gold medal performance, she also won three silvers and a bronze at the 2008 Olympics. In 2010, she tried to make a return, but after a few setbacks, she ultimately failed.