6 Sportspersons to be featured in TIME's 100 most influential people of 2023

Like every year, the American magazine TIME has released its 100 most influential list celebrating individuals who have changed the world. The list includes businesspersons, politicians, artists and athletes who have managed to excel in their field and bring about significant and positive change. Addressing the list, TIME said, "From pioneers of technology, political leaders and titans of industry all the way through to artists, innovators and influencers, these are the most influential people of 2023." For us sports fans, six athletes have made the list for incredible performances and their influence on the world. TIME has included individuals from various different disciples, who have battled a multitude of challenges to achieve greatness in their sport. These athletes have also managed to impact lives beyond the confines of sports and hence are celebrated on the global stage. Check out the six athletes' part of TIME100: The Most Influential People of 2023 Brittney Griner The American WNBA star, Brittney Griner survived challenges far beyond sports as she was caught in a geo-political dispute between two global superpowers. Griner was in a prison for nearly 10 months after being wrongfully detained. After this harsh sentence, Griner returned on December 8 and started her journey back to the court. Celebrating this resilient figure, Griner’s WNBA colleague Sue Bird wrote the excerpt for the list. "Brittney Griner’s story represents so much,” Bird wrote. “First off, it's about resilience. But underneath this story of inner strength is so much more. #PAGE_BREAK# Mikaela Shiffrin The American alpine skier, Mikaela Shiffrin scripted history as she broke Ingemar Stenmark’s record of 86 World Cup wins in March. This was her 13th victory of the season. Shiffrin, two weeks prior to this feat, broke fellow American skier Lindsey Vonn’s women’s record, who also wrote the excerpt for Shiffrin and stated that “the sky is the limit” for her talent. Vonn further expressed Shiffrin is competing against herself as she wrote, “She’s competing against herself at this point — she could reach 100 wins. It’s just a matter of how long Mikaela Shiffrin wants to keep at it.” #PAGE_BREAK# Lionel Messi The Argentine footballer, Lionel Messi carried the hopes and dreams of countless supporters as he won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Messi led a scruffy Argentine squad to the glorious title against the defending champions France, who had put forth a side full of world beaters. Messi won the Player of the Tournament award in Qatar with his seven goals and three assists. Serenading this all-time great, another sporting stalwart, Roger Federer wrote the excerpt for Messi. "My career has just come to an end,” wrote Federer. “I now realise how much weight we athletes carry. But in our daily lives, we don’t even realise it. #PAGE_BREAK# Kylian Mbappé The French footballer, Kylian Mbappé finished as a runner-up against Lionel Messi and Argentina in the FIFA World Cup capping off another stellar performance. Mbappé in the final against a mighty La Albiceleste side carried the French after going down 2-0 in the first half. He slammed in a historic hat trick but in the end, fell short. Along with an incredible World Cup campaign, Mbappe lit up club football with his magnificent run for Paris Saint Germain. Celebrating the Frenchman, Time correspondent Vivienne Walt wrote: “Despite his incredible celebrity, Mbappe has three home truths from his mom that keep him grounded: 'Respect, humility, lucidity.' #PAGE_BREAK# Patrick Mahomes The American quarterback, Patrick Mahomes helped the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. He took home the MVP award and emerged as the new face of the NFL. Along with incredible performances on the field, he distributed 136,000 meals and more than $2.5 million in charitable grants to 101 different organisations in order to uplift his community. NFL legend Peyton Manning wrote the excerpt for Mahomes and stated "Patrick is setting new bars. All these young players around the country are trying to imitate his sidearm throws and incredible plays.” #PAGE_BREAK#Iga Swiatek Concluding the list is the Polish tennis star, Iga Swiatek, who pulled off a historic run in the women’s pro tennis calendar last year. Swiatek held the world's No. 1 rank for more than 12 months and also won the French Open and US Open last year. Along with her excellence on the court, she also emerged as a voice of awareness regarding mental health and a pillar of support behind many Ukrainians amidst the Russian invasion. The excerpt on Swiatek was written by Mikaela Shiffrin, who stated, "As an athlete, and more importantly as a human, she embodies the kind of confidence that everyone should emulate – the confidence of action over mere talk.”

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6 Sportspersons to be featured in TIME's 100 most influential people of 2023