This Was a Year For the Girls: How Women Dominated Sports in 2024
In an entertainment industry typically saturated with headlines of male achievements and records, women once again put the world on notice, displaying otherworldly talent and hard work that drew the adoration of millions. From the explosion of the WNBA, to the record-breaking performances in the Olympics and beyond, 2024 was a year dominated by elite women across the board.
Caitlin Clark | Brian Spurlock, Icon Sportswire
A’ja Wilson | Steph Chambers, Getty Images
Napheesa Collier | Jessica Hill, AP Photo
The year started off hot with Caitlin Clark breaking the record for the most points in Division 1 college basketball history. Finishing with a total of 3,951 points across four years, Clark broke a record that had stood for over 50 years. Clark snowballed this monumental achievement with a WNBA season that may go down as the most important in the league’s history. Clark, alongside Angel Reese, A'ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier, set the WNBA ablaze. According to a report by Morning Consult, the WNBA brand had the highest overall rise in reputation in 2024. Viewership, attendance, jersey sales and revenue were at all-time highs as the world was forced to tune in to the amazing performances that these women put on. Clark and Reese both had rookie seasons that will be cemented in history, playing together in the all-star game and leading the league in multiple categories. Wilson and Collier may have had the best season and postseason since the league’s inception. Wilson won her third MVP award, and achieved the first 1,000 point season ever, while Collier broke the record for the most points in a playoff run and became the first WNBA player in history to lead the entire playoffs in points, rebounds, steals and blocks.
Simon Biles, Rebeca Andrade, Jordan Chiles | Simon Bruty, Sports Illustrated
The frenzy in the WNBA opened the eyes of fans, and the Olympics kept them agape. The dazzling performances of gymnastic legend Simone Biles earned her three gold medals in the Paris Olympics, setting her as the most decorated gymnast in United States history. She took the stage alongside Rebeca Andrade of Brazil, who looks to be the gymnastic standard bearer of the future. These two were locked in competition, giving masterful performances that dominated headlines. Despite the controversy of the score tally, Biles, Andrade and Jordan Chiles created the first all-black podium in gymnastics on the Olympic stage.
Katie Ledecky | Brynn Anderson, AP Photo
If that wasn’t enough, Katie Ledecky became the most decorated woman in Olympic history and the second most decorated Olympian overall. With 14 total medals, including 8 gold medals, she has continued to push the conversation ahead for women in sports worldwide. Along with sports legends Ledecky and Biles, track star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone made history in her own right, shattering the world record in the 400m hurdles with a final time of 50.37, which earned her a gold medal in the event.
Ilona Maher | Hannah Peters, Getty Images
The world also watched in awe as Ilona Maher took over the sport of Rugby, successfully fighting against societal beauty standards while crushing the competition on the field, walking away with a gold medal and an explosive social media following. Maher, along with boxing world champion Imane Khelif, showed the world that elite domination comes in a multitude of appearances despite the adversity thrown at them. They shook the world, drawing eyes and adoration from millions.
Coco Gauff | Andy Cheung, Getty Images
Coco Gauff smashed through multiple barriers herself this year. Gauff reached her highest world ranking in her career, peaking at second during the summer. She also became the youngest flag bearer for the United States at only 20 years of age. Despite a year full of growing pains, she finished her 2024 season strong, winning the WTA final as the youngest champion in 20 years as well as becoming the third woman in sports to ever earn over $30 million in a single year. Her incredible career has only just begun as she enters her prime years.
In the NBA, broadcast analyst Doris Burke continued to raise the bar, becoming the first woman to be a lead commentator for an NBA finals game. Burke has been a commentator, reporter and analyst for 20 years, and her diligent work culminated in this monumental experience that gave women in sports journalism and broadcasting an even brighter star to reach.
2024 was a great year for sports, especially for the girls. The Olympics had full gender parity with a complete 50/50 split for the first time ever, the women’s NCAA basketball championship eclipsed the men’s viewership for the first time and women across multiple different sports and industries have continued to raise the bar for the millions of women that come after them. With this momentum continuing to build, the energy around women’s sports has never felt more vibrant.