As 2015 draws to a close, we love to look back on some of our favorite moments of the year for female athletes and bodybuilders. Here are the top 10 sports moments (in no particular order) that shocked us, ones we saw coming, others that inspired us and all of which we couldn’t help sharing with friends, family, and of course, you!
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U.S Women’s National Team
Earlier this summer, the world was buzzing while watching the elite women’s soccer players claw their way through the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup competition. The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Japan 5-2 in the final game, making the game the most-watched soccer match in U.S. history. Carli Lloyd also became a household name after scoring a hat trick less than 20 minutes into the final game, with the final goal being shot from half field, according to USAToday.com. Sports Illustrated celebrated each team members’ contribution to the World Cup win by giving each woman her own cover.SEE ALSO: Abby Wambach Announces Retirement From Soccer
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corbisimages.com
Serena Williams
The tennis pro was named Sports Illustrated magazine’s “Sportsperson of the Year,” the first female athlete to receive the honor since 1983. We all had Serena fever this summer, tweeting about the #SerenaSlam for weeks. Though Williams lost to Roberta Vinci and didn’t accomplish her Grand Slam goal, we’re super proud of her 53-3 record, as she should be, too!
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Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir
CrossFit fans eagerly watched the 2015 Reebok CrossFit Games to see if 2014 winner Camille Leblanc-Bassinet would maintain her title. But, it was stripped away by 22-year-old Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir of Iceland. In an interview with Muscle & Fitness Hers, Davidsdottir discusses how being ‘The Fittest Woman on Earth’ means she’s “prepared for anything,” as well as how she eats and trains.
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Ronda Rousey
Before her recent knockout loss to Holly Holm at the UFC 193, Ronda Rousey was on fire this year. Sure, she was commenting on everything and everyone that was happening in the news—and yes the media, including us were eating it up—but it takes serious training time and hard work to come as far as Rousey has. Besides being the first ever-female fighter for the UFC, Rousey was called “one of the most dominant female athletes alive” by Business Insider this summer.
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Getty Images
Holly Holm
Consider it the “kick heard around the world” when UFC Fighter Holly Holm connected with Ronda Rousey’s head for a knockout during the second round of the UFC 193 fight in Melbourne, Australia. In was one of the biggest sports upsets of the year; Holm earned the title of the “new women’s bantamweight world champion.” In an exclusive interview with Muscle & Fitness Hers, Holm discusses her training, how to deliver the perfect kick, and what’s next for the fighter. (Yes, she would fight Rousey again.)
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Ashley Kaltwasser
Of all the athletes’ accomplishments in this article, we probably would have put our money on IFBB Bikini Pro Ashley Kaltwasser winning a few competitions this year. She nabbed the top spot in the Bikini Division at the 2015 Mr. Olympia (for the third year in a row), as well as winning the IFBB Bikini International / Arnold Classic 2015 earlier in the year, for the second time in a row. Keep up the great work, Kaltwasser!
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NWHL
National Women’s Hockey League
This fall the first National Women’s Hockey League launched with four teams of professional hockey players. While the teams are located in the Northeast area of the country now, we’re hoping the league adds more teams by 2016. Learn more about the history of the NWHL launching and our interviews with some of the hockey players.
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dailymail.co.uk
Tatisana Khvitsko
If you need motivation to work out today, look no further than bodybuilder Tatisana Khvitsko. Even though she has only four fingers and no legs, Khvitsko is an athlete who has competed as a bodybuilder, runner, and CrossFitter. If running two half-marathons and other races wasn’t an impressive enough accomplishment for the para-athlete, the 24-year-old recently decides to give bodybuilding competitions a try. Read more about the one-legged bodybuilder here and check out her inspirational photos.
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Simone Biles
At only 18 years old, Simone Biles won her 10th gold medal at the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships. This award enabled her to set a new record by a female for having the most gold medals. Biles is considered the LeBron James of gymnastics.
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Haifa Alamusawi
If there’s one word describe this athlete, it’s that she’s inspirational. Since a young age Haifa Alamusawi battled obesity and had a strong interest in bodybuilding, however participating in the sport is rare due to the Gulf’s conservative cultural stereotypes. With her passion and support from her family, Alamusawi has turned her dream into a reality. When M&F Hers discovered Alamusawi, she had competed in the physique category of the International Natural Bodybuilding Association championships, placing 6th and she was working toward a pro-card. Moving forward, our online editor caught up with her to see where she is today with the sport.
As 2015 draws to a close, we love to look back on some of our favorite moments of the year for female athletes and bodybuilders. Here are the top 10 sports moments (in no particular order) that shocked us, ones we saw coming, others that inspired us and all of which we couldn’t help sharing with friends, family, and of course, you!
U.S Women's National Team
Earlier this summer, the world was buzzing while watching the elite women’s soccer players claw their way through the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup competition. The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Japan 5-2 in the final game, making the game the most-watched soccer match in U.S. history. Carli Lloyd also became a household name after scoring a hat trick less than 20 minutes into the final game, with the final goal being shot from half field, according to USAToday.com. Sports Illustrated celebrated each team members’ contribution to the World Cup win by giving each woman her own cover.
The tennis pro was named Sports Illustrated magazine’s “Sportsperson of the Year,” the first female athlete to receive the honor since 1983. We all had Serena fever this summer, tweeting about the #SerenaSlam for weeks. Though Williams lost to Roberta Vinci and didn’t accomplish her Grand Slam goal, we’re super proud of her 53-3 record, as she should be, too!
Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir
CrossFit fans eagerly watched the 2015 Reebok CrossFit Games to see if 2014 winner Camille Leblanc-Bassinet would maintain her title. But, it was stripped away by 22-year-old Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir of Iceland. In an interview with Muscle & Fitness Hers, Davidsdottir discusses how being ‘The Fittest Woman on Earth’ means she’s “prepared for anything,” as well as how she eats and trains.
Ronda Rousey
Before her recent knockout loss to Holly Holm at the UFC 193, Ronda Rousey was on fire this year. Sure, she was commenting on everything and everyone that was happening in the news—and yes the media, including us were eating it up—but it takes serious training time and hard work to come as far as Rousey has. Besides being the first ever-female fighter for the UFC, Rousey was called “one of the most dominant female athletes alive” by Business Insider this summer.
Holly Holm
Consider it the “kick heard around the world” when UFC Fighter Holly Holm connected with Ronda Rousey’s head for a knockout during the second round of the UFC 193 fight in Melbourne, Australia. In was one of the biggest sports upsets of the year; Holm earned the title of the “new women’s bantamweight world champion.” In an exclusive interview with Muscle & Fitness Hers, Holm discusses her training, how to deliver the perfect kick, and what’s next for the fighter. (Yes, she would fight Rousey again.)
Ashley Kaltwasser
Of all the athletes’ accomplishments in this article, we probably would have put our money on IFBB Bikini Pro Ashley Kaltwasser winning a few competitions this year. She nabbed the top spot in the Bikini Division at the 2015 Mr. Olympia (for the third year in a row), as well as winning the IFBB Bikini International / Arnold Classic 2015 earlier in the year, for the second time in a row. Keep up the great work, Kaltwasser!
National Women's Hockey League
This fall the first National Women’s Hockey League launched with four teams of professional hockey players. While the teams are located in the Northeast area of the country now, we’re hoping the league adds more teams by 2016. Learn more about the history of the NWHL launching and our interviews with some of the hockey players.
Tatisana Khvitsko
If you need motivation to work out today, look no further than bodybuilder Tatisana Khvitsko. Even though she has only four fingers and no legs, Khvitsko is an athlete who has competed as a bodybuilder, runner, and CrossFitter. If running two half-marathons and other races wasn’t an impressive enough accomplishment for the para-athlete, the 24-year-old recently decides to give bodybuilding competitions a try. Read more about the one-legged bodybuilder here and check out her inspirational photos.
Simone Biles
At only 18 years old, Simone Biles won her 10th gold medal at the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships. This award enabled her to set a new record by a female for having the most gold medals. Biles is considered the LeBron James of gymnastics.
Haifa Alamusawi
If there’s one word describe this athlete, it’s that she’s inspirational. Since a young age Haifa Alamusawi battled obesity and had a strong interest in bodybuilding, however participating in the sport is rare due to the Gulf’s conservative cultural stereotypes. With her passion and support from her family, Alamusawi has turned her dream into a reality. When M&F Hers discovered Alamusawi, she had competed in the physique category of the International Natural Bodybuilding Association championships, placing 6th and she was working toward a pro-card. Moving forward, our online editor caught up with her to see where she is today with the sport.
