Latina Athletes Who Inspire Us

Angelica Delgado

US Olympic judoka (judo fighter) Angelica Delgado swears by her secret weapon: every morning, the Cuban-American from Miami drinks a cortadito, or cup of sweet Cuban coffee. It seems to be working for her! At 29, Delgado has already taken home more than 20 world cup medals. No one is prouder of her than her dad/trainer, also a professional judo fighter from Cuba. He said he fled the island in 1988 because refusing to be part of the communist party led to his being blacklisted in sports there.

1 / 7

Diana Taurasi

Image Source: Getty / Leon Bennett

The late Kobe Bryant was so impressed with the basketball skills of Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi that he nicknamed her "The White Mamba," comparing her to himself (The Black Mamba). At 37 years old and standing 6 feet tall, Diana is the daughter of a professional Italian basketball player and an Argentine mother. She was raised in Chino, CA, and has a ton of awards, including being named WNBA rookie of the year and most valuable player, and she's among the top 15 WNBA players of all time.

2 / 7

Laurie Hernandez

Image Source: Getty / Tim Clayton - Corbis

At only 19 years of age, US Olympic gold and silver medalist Laurie Hernandez credits an unwavering belief in God with giving her the drive and confidence to succeed. Of Puerto Rican descent, Hernandez was raised in Old Bridge Township, NJ. She began competing professionally at the age of 12, and has won dozens of championships and medals. The 5'1" gymnast is also quite the dancer; she won season 23 of Dancing With the Stars, the youngest participant to earn that title.

3 / 7

Anita Alvarez

Image Source: Getty / Amin Mohammad Jamali

Anita Alvarez is a member of the US Synchronized Swimming National Team, and competed in the 2016 Olympics in that sport's duet category. That year, this Mexican-American athlete from suburban Buffalo, NY, was named the nation's top synchro swimmer of the year. The 23-year-old says she grew up in the sport, and began training at the age of 5. Her mother was also a synchro swimmer, and coached a team in Tonawanda, NY.

4 / 7

Amy Rodriguez

Image Source: Getty / Abbie Parr

Amy Rodriguez, 32, is a forward with the Utah Royals professional soccer team, as well as a member of the United States Women's National Team. Sports commentators refer to her as A-Rod, and she is best known for her speed. Born and raised in Lake Forest, CA, this Cuban-American athlete started racking up titles in high school, when she was twice named Parade All-American and Gatorade player of the year. She excelled at her sport at the University of Southern California before joining the professional ranks. She's played in several World Cup and Olympic games.

5 / 7

Natalie Vie

At 33, fencing athlete Natalie Vie is one of the top 100 athletes in the sport in the world, and a member of Team USA in the FIE Women's Epee World Circuit, with team medal wins in the Olympics and Pan American games. A Phoenix native born to an Argentine mother, Vie studied dance as a child and did not begin to compete in fencing until age 18. She anchored and captained the fencing team at Arizona State University, and was ranked No. 1 in her conference. In addition to fencing, she's a yoga instructor and poet.

6 / 7

Melissa Gonzalez

Image Source: Getty / Manuel Queimadelos Alonso

American Olympic field hockey player Melissa Gonzalez, 30, was born in Peekskill, NY, to Puerto Rican parents. She began drawing national and international attention at the University of Connecticut, when she was named First Team All-American and Big East Conference defensive player of the year. She has also been a coach at UCONN, Yale, and the University of Massachusetts.

7 / 7