Serena Williams and 7 Female Athletes Who Are Dominating Women's Sports At Age 30+

Culture

This past Saturday, Serena Williams aced her way to another Grand Slam championship by winning her fifth Wimbledon title. Moreover, the tennis superstar joins an elite, but growing cadre of female athletes who have hit the 30-year mark, but are still going strong.

1. Serena Williams – 30 years old

Despite her fall from grace and numerous health scares after her 2012 Wimbledon win, Williams managed to climb her way back to the top of the tennis rankings (she was ranked 4th at the time of the competition), making her one of the most powerful women in professional sports.

2. Venus Williams – 32 years old

At age 32, Venus is still a force on the courts, with five Wimbledon titles of her own, including a win for doubles with her sister and partner Serena on Saturday. 

3. Hope Solo – 30 years old

Solo is joining the women's soccer team for the 2012 Olympics, looking to bring home another gold medal after Beijing in 2008. She also recently showed that goalies can be graceful too, with her stint on the 13th season of Dancing with the Stars.

4. Misty May-Traenor and Kerri Walsh – 34 and 33 years old

Thanks to these two, beach volleyball is now a well-recognized sport. Since becoming partners in 2001, the two have dominated, starting with a seven game winning-streak in the 2004 Athens Olympics, which earned them their first (of many) gold medal. The pair will return to London for the 2012 games, hoping to win their third straight gold medal.

5. Tamika Catchings – 32 years old

As a 5-time WNBA All-Star and MVP in 2011, Indiana Fever’s Catchings has already helped lead the U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team to gold in 2004. She’s returning to the games in 2012, going for the gold potentially for the last time.

6. Oksana Chusovitina – 37 years old

Chusovitina already has the distinction of competing for the Olympics five times in a row, representing three different countries in the process (Unified Team of Former Soviet Republics, Uzbekistan, and now Germany) and returning to the competitive gymnastics after giving birth. She heads off to London to compete in her sixth consecutive Olympic game, and is a favorite to take home at least one medal for the vault.

7. Paula Radcliffe

Currently the world record-holder for the marathon (2:15:25), Radcliffe is looking to add her first Olympic gold medal to her impressive collection of wins. Known just as much for her big personality as she is for her athletic prowess, Radcliffe is a  during the 2012 London games. She is also the mother of two.