Vegans Thriving. Elite Vegan Athletes
Some athletes cause pause for thought and some are amazing examples of what can be done. Mike Freemont is one who has pushed the boundaries of what is believed possible. He retains world records and a level of astounding fitness level. Read More... “Mike Freemont, vegan runner”
Ryan has been a world class powerlifter for several years, making his mark at the highest level against the strongest opponents.
He’s competed in raw divisions with IPF and USAPL in the 120 kg category. This includes four category wins at the IPF Masters’ World Championships. Read More... “Ryan Stills, vegan powerlifter”
Few people have made an impact on their sport as emphatically as Harvey Lewis. The American has twice won the Badwater Ultramarathon, considered the toughest footrace in the world. The 135 mile race takes in extreme temperatures and massive height gain and losses. Read More... “Harvey Lewis, ultramarathon runner”
Unsal is a Turkish boxer who currently lives in Germany and fights at Super Welterweight. Since he gave up meat he has become the IBF European Champion, WBU World Champion and GBU World Champion. Later he turned vegan and since then has won the UBF European title twice, WBC Asia title and the BDB International German title. Read More... “Unsal Arik, vegan boxer”
Elena competes in track and field, representing Spain in the Paralympics in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016. Born with a degenerative visual condition, she qualifies for the T12/B2 categories.
Elena is known for her remarkable versatility as she has competed in long jump, 100 metres and marathon. Read More... “Elena Congost, vegan runner”
Lewis Hamilton is established as the leading Formula One driver of his generation and one of the all-time greats. He’s taken numerous wins and Championships.
By 2020 he was a six-time World Champion (the second most of all time) with 88 individual race victories. Read More... “Lewis Hamilton, vegan racing driver”
Sofia Jokl is an experienced competitor in Japanese Ju-Jitsu, competing in the Duo-System at European and World level.
The Duo system involves pairs of competitors demonstrating self defence against attacks randomly called by a referee. Speed, realism, control and power are among the qualities judged. Read More... “Sofia Jokl, vegan Ju-Jitsu expert”
Alex is established as one of the most successful players of her generation in women’s soccer – with success at national and international level.
She started playing for the California Golden Bears while at University before being drafted as the overall number one in 2011. Read More... “Alex Morgan, vegan soccer player”
Borja Ignacio Perez Batet is a multisport athlete from Spain who competes internationally. He’s competed in the European and World Duathlon Championships, taking the 30-34 age group World title in 2016.
Borja has also run 10k in an extremely competitive 29:25, and among his results were a win in the San Silvestre Vallecana Amateur in 2017, a race with 45,000 runners. Read More... “Borja Perez Batet, vegan runner”
Yolanda Presswood is a powerlifter who has achieved great things very quickly.
Originally competitive in the bikini and fitness categories of bodybuilding, Yolanda started competing in Crossfit in November 2014 and then moved to powerlifting in October 2016, with her first competition in December of that year. Read More... “Yolanda Presswood, vegan powerlifter”
Denis was born in Russia and moved to New York, USA in 2006. He moved to New York to develop a career in finance but by 2010 he had given it up to pursue one in health and fitness.
Things progressed quickly and in 2011 he took four top five finishes in distances ranging from 25k to 50k. Read More... “Denis Mikhaylove, vegan ultradistance runner”
High profile for her work as an entrepreneur and a campaigner as well as her sporting life, Heather Mills is known as one of the leading athletes globally in her sport of downhill skiing.
She has campaigned on the issue of landmines for fourteen years, raising funds and awareness. Read More... “Heather Mills, vegan skiier”
With a supportive family who love sport Cody Elkins has become a noted vegan athlete at an early age.
As a junior competing in racquetball, he has already achieved great things. In 2013 aged eight he was the American Junior champion, and in 2014 he was the California State Champion and finished third in the Junior Olympics. Read More... “Cody Elkins, vegan Racquetball player”
Neil is a former World Champion player who has topped the international snooker rankings. He is also one of the best known and highest achieving players in snooker.
The Australian left hander turner professional in the 2006/7 season. He was already known in Australia, having become the youngest player to make a century break in an Australian ranking tournament at age 14. Read More... “Neil Robertson, vegan snooker player”
Tia Blanco has been a successful surfer for many years and has achieved international recognition very early in life. She is a member of the American surfing team and has won several surfing tournaments.
In 2014 she won the NSSA Southwest Women’s U18 season and the Surfing Prime America Womens U18 season. Read More... “Tia Blanco, vegan surfer”
David Meyer has competed for years at the top of the martial art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Over the years he has won numerous international titles at the top level. David is recognised as a pioneer of the sport as one of the first non-Brazilians to achieve black belt. Read More... “David Meyer, vegan martial artist”
Michaela Copenhaver is an American rower competing in the Lightweight division.
She started rowing in 2003 and continued at University where she competed at two National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships and one Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) championship.
In her senior year she set a Sprints course record and won an IRA silver medal as stroke seat of the lightweight varsity eight. Read More... “Michaela Copenhaver, vegan rower”
Austin Aries is an American Pro Wrestler who has competed with the nation’s best and won numerous World Titles. He’s known for a range of spectacular signatures moves.
Austin made his debut in 2000 and by 2004 was competing in the Ring of Honor (ROH) following success in the Midwestern States. Read More... “Austin Aries, vegan wrestler”
Dustin Watten is a member of the US national volleyball team. He is now an established member of the team and has travelled with them to high-level competition, helping them towards team successes.
Dustin has been vegan since 2012 and as well as playing for his nation he has played in the Brazilian national league which is often considered the highest level national league. Read More... “Dustin Watten, vegan volleyball player”
Laura Kline is a multisport athlete from Pasadena, USA, best known for her success in Duathlon. Duathlon is an endurance event which starts with a run, changes to cycling, then returns to running.
She participated in hockey, softball, basketball and boxing while at high school and college, then at age 26 started competing in the demanding sports of Duathlon and Triathlon. Read More... “Laura Kline, vegan duathlon competitor”
Ruth Heidrich is a prolific runner who has maintained an astonishing level of fitness into her senior years.
A survivor of an aggressive breast cancer, Ruth turned vegan in 1982 aged 47 in response to the diagnosis. She has won over 900 medals for running of all distances, up to and including ironman triathlon. Read More... “Ruth Heidrich, vegan endurance athlete”
James Southwood is an expert instructor and champion fighter in Savate. Savate (pronounced “Suh-vat”) is a dynamic sport that combines movements from English boxing and French kicking. He is a multiple Great British Champion, 2008 World Bronze Medallist, European Silver Medallist (twice), 2016 World Vice-Champion, and 2014 World Champion. Read More... “James Southwood, vegan fighter”
Former World Champion Harri travelled to Thailand to win the 1997 Thai Boxing title at 60kg. He beat the US champion in the semi and the Thai champion in the final.
Harri was 22 when he started eating vegan in 1994. Read More... “Harri Nieminem, vegan Thai Boxer”
Patrik was born in Iran and lives in Germany. In 1999 aged 20 he won the German Junior Bodybuilding title.
He broke the world log lift record for under 105kg, with a 165kg lift, as well as the German heavyweight log lift record . Read More... “Patrik Baboumian, vegan strongman”
Canadian Meagan Duhamel has skated singly and in pairs, although she is best known for skating in pairs.
Soon after working with partner Eric Radford she achieved fame when she and Eric were the first pair to perform a side-by-side triple lutz in competition. Read More... “Meagan Duhamel, vegan figure skater”
Andy Lally is a world class racing driver who has achieved historic all-time milestones.
He won the Rolex 24 hour at Daytona in 2001, 2009, 2011, 2012 (more here) and 2016 (more here). Andy holds the record for the most podium finishes in this race since the Grand Am era started in 2000. Read More... “Andy Lally, vegan racing driver”
Alex shot to fame in December 2005 when he won the World Champion Fitness title with WFF (World Fitness Federation). Five years before this he had become vegan in response to the cruelty of the animal food industries.
Although the motivation was “ethical, ecological, spiritual and healthy reasons (in that order)” Alex soon found that it was easy to find enjoyable food that worked with his strength objectives. Read More... “Alexander Dargatz, vegan bodybuilder”
Rob took up arm-wrestling in 2000. It was after a tournament in 2002 that he first starting feeling uncomfortable about eating meat and moving towards a vegan diet. Like many people, Rob had been led to believe that meat was an important part of building strength. Read More... “Rob Bigwood, vegan armwrestler”
Pat was diagnosed with a serious genetic cancer in 1977 when she was 32. The devastating news which led to her adopting a wholefood vegan diet. As a result her health has made an excellent recovery and the ‘terminal’ cancer has gone into remission. Read More... “Pat Reeves, vegan powerlifter”
Weia is a veterans athletics multiple world record holder and vegan.
She started competing in masters athletics in 1995 aged 45, following decades of not training at all. By 1999 she was competing in Gateshead, UK, where she came second to an athlete who set a world records for the womens age 45 age category. Read More... “Weia Reinboud, vegan track and field athlete”