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On Wednesday, April 17, 2024, TIME, an American news magazine based in New York City, released TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World list for 2024—the annual list featuring dozens of athletes, entertainers, artists, and politicians. Highlighted by the past year's cultural and political icons, the TIME's 100 Most Influential People name list comprises familiar and unfamiliar faces.
Under the athletics category, the most remarkable achievements of athletes have led to their recognition as some of TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World. The globally acclaimed athletes who have made it onto TIME's 100 Most Influential People list are unique in their physical capabilities and exhibit excellent administration, advocacy, and generosity.
This prestigious accolade concedes their sports prowess, also highlighting their influence outside the field or court.
Athletes featured on 2024's TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World: Details explored
The impact of the athletes listed under 2024's TIME's 100 Most Influential People stretches far beyond the sports domain, shaping the world in significant ways and exiting with a lasting legacy for generations to come.
Ahead, Team Sportskeeda has curated the list of the six athletes ranking on the 2024 TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World checklist.
- Max Verstappen
- Patrick Mahomes
- Siya Kolisi
- A'ja Wilson
- Jenni Hermoso
- Sakshi Malik
1) Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen, a Dutch racing driver and the Netherlands' first world champion aged 24 is Formula 1's youngest-ever competitor in the car racing domain. Verstappen secured a spot on TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World list for his significant contributions to the sport through his exceptional driving skills, strategic race performances, and unwavering determination.
Contributions:
At age 17, the Dutchman made an impression at the Toro Rosso and the Red Bull with his instinctive racing style. In 2016, 18-year-old Max was F1’s youngest points scorer and race winner, with a controlled drive on the Red Bull debut in Barcelona. Maa is the son of the former F1 driver Jos Verstappen and super-quick-karting Sophie Kumpen.
In 2021, Verstappen gave another stunning performance on Brazil's track in the final-round showdown with Lewis Hamilton. Keeping the trend, in 2022, Max won the powerhouse title defense, before his 3rd successive championship victory lauded with 19 wins from 23 Grands Prix.
2) Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes, the vibrant quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, has secured a spot on the prestigious 2024 TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World. Patrick, known for his outstanding talent and administration on the football field, has had a noteworthy influence on American football.
Contributions:
Patrick Mahomes is one of the premier players in the National Football League (NFL) and was named NFL's Most Valuable Player (MVP) in his second season in 2018. Later, he captained his team, the Kansas City Chiefs, to victory two times in Super Bowls LIV (2020), LVII (2023), and LVIII (2024).
Patrick secured his second NFL MVP award in 2022, for his immense contribution to the world of sports, inspiring countless aspiring athletes around the globe.
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3) Siya Kolisi
Siyamthanda "Siya" Kolisi OIG, a South African professional rugby union player and the present captain of the South African national team, has made his mark amongst 2024's TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Contributions:
In December 2019, he was acknowledged in New African magazine's list of 100 Most Influential Africans. From the awards side, in April 2023, Kolisi was rewarded with the South African government's National Order of Ikhamanga, owing to his contributions to the world of rugby.
Siya formerly played for South Africa's Stormers and Sharks. He recently switched to Racing 92, playing as a flanker and positioning himself as a loose forward. Kolisi became the Springboks captain and led the South African Rugby team to win in the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final against England.
A few years later in October 2023, Siya Kolisi captained South Africa to the 4th Rugby World Cup in Paris, France, and is one of 44 players to have won the Rugby World Cup on multiple occasions.
4) A'ja Wilson
A'ja Riyadh Wilson plays for the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In 2024, owing to her remarkable contribution to the field, A'ja Wilson adds another accolade to her already impressive resume as TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Contributions:
She is an American professional basketball player who played for the South Carolina Gamecocks in college in 2017 and helped lead the team to their initial NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. After winning the NCAA basketball tournament's Most Outstanding Player award in 2018, A'ja won the SEC Player of the Year award, leading her team South Carolina to fourth place in the SEC Tournament Championship.
Wilson later became the all-time leading scorer in South Carolina in the history of women's basketball and her team was the first All-American for the third consecutive season.
In 2018, Wilson swept all National Player of the Year awards in Women's College basketball, being the first-round pick in the WNBA draft. Later, in 2020, she achieved her first WNBA MVP and won her first Olympic Gold medal in that year's Summer Olympics. In 2022 and 2023, she earned Finals MVP by leading the Aces to their first franchise titles.
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5) Jenni Hermoso
Jenni Hermoso, a prominent figure in football, is well-acclaimed for her outstanding skills as a forward player for the Spanish national team and FC Barcelona. Owing to her remarkable contribution and prowess on the field, Jenni has been globally acknowledged as one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Contributions:
A Madrid native, Jenni rose through the ranks at Atletico Madrid, and later in 2014, at Rayo Vallecano, she gained prominence right before joining Barça. Jenni established herself as a key player by impressing football fans with her goals and playing strategies at Tyresso in Sweden. Later, in 2017, Jenni briefly moved to PSG for a year before returning to La Liga with Atletico Madrid. In 2019, before rejoining the club, Jenni showcased her second stint at Barça by being the top-most goalscorer for three consecutive seasons.
Jenni Hermoso, inspiring countless individuals worldwide, was part of the first team in the club's history to win the UEFA Women's Champions League. By winning the first treble in club history, she went down in football history, extending her abilities beyond her athletic skills. Jenni continues to advocate for gender equality and empowerment in sports.
6) Sakshi Malik
Sakshi Malik is a former Indian freestyle wrestler who, in the 2016 Summer Olympics, won the bronze medal in the 58 kg category. She was the first Indian female wrestler to win an Olympic medal. In 2024, she is selected as the first Indian wrestler to feature in TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Contributions:
Previously, in 2014, Malik won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, and in 2015, she won a bronze medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships in Doha. The following year, in 2017, the Indian government honored Sakshi with the nation's 4th highest civilian award, Padma Shri.
Apart from the field activity, Sakshi, with fellow female wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Babita Kumari, and Geeta Phogat, was a part of the JSW Sports Excellence Program. On December 20, 2023, Sakshi announced her retirement from wrestling following the appointment of a close associate of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as WFI chief.
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Thanks to their unlimited contribution to the sports domain, these were the six athletes listed in 2024's TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Also, from pioneers to titans and innovators, individuals from other walks of life like Dua Lipa, 21 Savage, America Ferrera, Dev Patel, and more are featured on the 2024 TIME's 100 list.
