SI LifeStyle

Olympian Lindsey Vonn Calls This Iconic Athlete the Epitome of Strength, Equality

The retired skier praised the tennis legend on CNN Sports earlier this week.

Cara O’Bleness

Lindsey Vonn

Lindsey Vonn.

Retired professional skier Lindsey Vonn is one of the top athletes in her sport. The winner of 82 World Cup races and three Olympic medals, Vonn became the first woman to ski Austria’s Streif downhill course in January and the first person to ever take on the challenge at night. So, it’s safe to say she’s a legend in her own right.

When the 38-year-old spoke with CNN Sports earlier this week, she opened up about a fellow female athlete who has impacted her career greatly: former world No. 1 tennis player Billie Jean King.

“Billie Jean is I think just the epitome of what a strong woman can do in the world when working hard, you know, she’s been just this pillar of equality and she has done so much with Title IX and, you know, with getting equal pay in tennis and really started the ball rolling for so many women, not just in sports, but in the world. You know, she’s such an icon, and she’s never stopped working towards equality and she’s not, you know, young any more but she’s still working just as hard as she was when she was starting the WTA,” Vonn stated. “She’s, again, such an inspiration to me and so many women, I just have nothing but respect and praise for her.”

King, 79, is known for her tireless fight for equal pay in tennis and is a staunch advocate for LGBTQ rights. Her victory over Bobby Riggs in the 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition match was a huge win for the women’s rights movement. A year prior, the Title IX law, which prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs or activities, was passed.

Today, King continues to be a huge part of the campaign for equality.

Make sure to follow SI Lifestyle in Google News!

Published
Cara O’Bleness
CARA O’BLENESS

Cara is a trending news writer/editor for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. A passionate writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in print and online media, she loves storytelling and believes that words have the power to change the world. Prior to joining the team, Cara worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, Cara loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University's School of Journalism.

Home/SI Lifestyle