6 Athletes You Didn’t Know Are Vegan (Probably).
Posted by Alfie Austin on
1. MEAGAN DUHAMEL (Figure Skater)
Naturally starting with the Winter Olympians, we have vegan athlete Meagan Duhamel. The figure skater has been living a plant-based lifestyle since 2008, and 10 years in, she won gold in Pyeong Chang at 32 years old!
She credits some of her success to her vegan choices, and even feels she can recover faster than some of her training mates. “I credit so much of my health and sports success to my plant-based lifestyle,” she told MindBodyGreen
2. MORGAN MITCHELL (Sprinter)
Morgan competed in her first Olympic Games 2 years after becoming vegan, and even though she says her team mates couldn’t argue with her choice as she ‘hit PB (personal best) after PB’, her thoughts on a vegan lifestyle are more about her values than her performance.
“I just have to reiterate the fact that the life of an animal and the wellbeing of the environment means more to me than any amount of money or the career path I wish to take because without them we wouldn’t have life.” - Great Vegan Athletes
3. SERENA WILLIAMS (Tennis Player)
As well as her equally infamous sister Venus, Serena Williams has been mostly vegan since 2012. An absolute icon of the tennis world, and an undeniable sporting legend too, Serena adopted the lifestyle alongside her sister, as they looked at ways to improve their health.
However, unlike the others on this list, the pair eat a mostly plant-based diet, calling themselves “chegans” as they ‘cheat’ every now and then, allowing themselves to eat meat from time to time.
A more common term we’ve heard is ‘freegan’, which refers to someone who is making plant-based choices more often than not, but may deviate from 100% plant based occasionally too. We welcome every effort in favour of plant based, and embrace anyone looking to make more vegan choices.
4. ALEX MORGAN (Football Player)
Not only an Olympic Gold Medallist, but also a FIFA World Cup Winner, Alex Morgan has championed a plant-based lifestyle since 2017, and says it helps her recover from intense training sessions better, than when she was eating meat & dairy. Alex also told The Beet, that she has become leaner and fitter
The 32-year-old also did a stint on this side of the pond with Tottenham Hotspur in 2020, and is still an active player today.
5. LEWIS HAMILTON (Formula 1 Driver)
Whilst some athletes can enjoy a level of anonymity outside of their chosen profession, F1 ace Lewis Hamilton is very much in the public eye. This is a big endorsement for a vegan lifestyle in sports, and his overall performance on the track is a strong case for advocating plant based too.
Speaking to Men’s Health, Lewis claimed he has: “more energy” and “fresher in my body” since adopting a vegan lifestyle in 2017.
An outspoken advocate for the lifestyle, Lewis also owns a chain of plant based fast food restaurants called ‘Neat Burger’, although there aren’t any near us in Manchester – but we have our very own Surinder’s cooking skills to keep us satisfied up North.
6. HANNAH TETER (Snowboarder)
Finally, finishing with snowboarder Hannah Teter, another a gold medal winner, having won the halfpipe in 2006. Like many, her views on her own lifestyle were flipped on its head when she watched the Earthlings documentary. She feels stronger both mentally & physically, ‘springier’, which we’re guessing is key for a snowboarder.
Thinking about it, or are vegan already, and want to step up your game? Shop our Vegan supplements, wholefoods and read our Eating A Vegan Diet Blog.