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Serena Williams
American tennis player Serena Williams’ 2014 began with victory over world No. 2 Victoria Azarenka in the Brisbane International final, continuing an 18-match winning streak which began at the end of the previous season. Williams put a fourth-round loss in the Australian Open behind her to win the Miami Open, defeating Maria Sharapova and Li Na in the process.
This seventh tournament win in Miami put her ahead of Andre Agassi for most Miami titles won by any individual player, male or female. After disappointing performances at the French Open and at Wimbledon, the big server bounced back to win the US Open – pulling level with Chris Evert and Martin Navratilova on 18 career Grand Slam singles’ titles. Williams then went on to win the WTA Tour Finals, meaning she took home just under $10 million for the year.
Valerie Adams
New Zealand shot putter Valerie Adams began her impressive year in March where she became the world indoor champion for a third time after her victory at Sopot in Poland with a distance of 20.67 m.
This victory gave Adams the momentum she needed in Glasgow to claim her third gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where she was New Zealand’s flag-bearer. The occasion marked her 54th consecutive event win, which began in August 2010 and makes her one of her country’s most successful ever athletes.
Katinka Hosszu
Hungarian swimmer and three-time Olympian Katinka Hosszu had an impressive 2014 both in terms of her trophy cabinet and her bank balance. After making over $300,000 on the World Cup Tour in 2014, Hosszu has made nearly half a million dollars in prize money this year in the short course pool alone.
She made $106,000 based on her individual swims at the FINA Swimming Championships in Doha, which easily put her ahead of the rest of the competition. Known as the Iron Lady, Hosszu broke four world records and won four from six races at the Qatar meeting, leading her to be named FINA’s swimmer of the year.
Jo Pavey
British long-distance runner Jo Pavey became the oldest female European champion this year when she won the 10,000m gold medal at the age of 40 in Zurich. Ten days previously the mother of two stunned Hampden Park when she claimed a 5,000m bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Never one to turn down a challenge, Pavey has set her sights on qualifying for the 2016 Olympics, and if she can continue this form she will stroll into the team. Pavey will have a strong claim to the title of International Sportswoman of the Year after already being voted British Athletics Athlete of the Year.
Inbee Park
South Korean golfer Inbee Park has occupied the No. 1 spot in the women’s world golf rankings for eight months in 2014. While it was always going to be difficult to replicate her 2013 form (she won three out of five majors), Park has had a very successful 2014, which started with a win on the Ladies European Tour at Mission Hills.
Congratulations, @InbeePark, on winning your 3rd @LPGA title of the season after a great LPGA Taiwan Championship win pic.twitter.com/RfJHbAbSL3
— Gary Player (@garyplayer) November 3, 2014
Park followed that up with a massive 26-combined-stroke victoy in the team portion of the event with fellow South Korean, Ryu So-Yeon. The big-hitting Korean then claimed her her fifth major title when she won the LPGA Championship in a sudden-death playoff over Brittany Lincicome.
And the nearly women…: Maria Sharapova, Simona Halep, Eugenie Bouchard. Chalotte Dujardin, Stacy Lewis, Patricia Bezzoubenko, Natalie Powell, Simone Biles, Genzebe Dibaba, Sally Pearson, Darya Domracheva, Pornanong Phatlum, Sussie Wolff (first woman to