On day 14 of the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022, Eileen Gu, China's 18-year-old American-born skier, won gold in the Freeski halfpipe with a tally of 95.25. As a result, she added to her medal tally on Friday in Beijing and cemented her place in history.

Gu earned a 93.25 on her first run, which was strong enough to fetch her the win. However, she stepped it up with a 95.25 on her second run after beginning with clean back-to-back 900s. Gu was in first place going into the third run, and when it came time for her to slide in as the final competitor, she had nothing except a triumphant race ahead of her.

Read more: Beijing Winter Olympics 2022: India's Arif Khan records DNF in the slalom as the campaign ends for India

The champion's reaction after the sublime triumph at the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022

Gu unveiled that her win was the culmination of years of hard effort, during which she hurdled hours of daily practice with her employment as a model and student.

In her words, "I feel at peace. I feel grateful. I feel proud. Skiing is all about fun and individuality and being able to express yourself and find that flow, and for myself, I really find that in halfpipe."

"It's really great to see and it's so inspiring. It makes me want to be a better skier myself. I think she's amazing for the sport. It has been two straight weeks of the most intense highs and lows I've ever experienced in my life. It's changed my life forever. The second I landed the last 16 in big air I knew my life was never going to be the same," Gu went on to conclude.

Read more: Shiva Keshavan becomes the first Indian to be included in Olympians for Life, Beijing 2022 edition

With this victory by her side, Gu has become the first freestyle skier in history to win three Olympic medals in a single Tournament. Canada's Cassie Sharpe and Rachel Karker took silver and bronze, correspondingly. Kelly Sildaru of Estonia, who, like Gu, competed in all three Freeski events, landed narrowly off the podium in 4th position.

However, Hannah Faulhaber was sixth, Brita Sigourney was tenth, and Carly Margulies was eleventh among Americans.

Sports stands as one of the highest-paid professions globally because of vast financial rewards and entertainment value. However, despite many achievements, female athletes continue to earn substantially less than male athletes. Forbes' 2023 ranking highlighted this vast difference, with the top 20 male athletes gather $1.9 billion, more than eight times the earnings of the top 20 women. Today, we shift our focus to the top 20 highest-paid female athletes of the 2023-24 period and how much do they make in a year including prize money, endorsements and net worth.

The leading business magazine Forbes has revealed the world's highest-paid female athletes list. Twelve out of 20 athletes are from the world of tennis and dominate the chart. While Indian star shuttler PV Sindhu is India's sole representative on the list. she finished at the 16th spot alongside gymnast Simone Biles with her $7.1 million earnings.

Highest-paid Female Athletes | Top 20 List

1. Iga Swiatek (Tennis) | $23.9 million

At the age of 22, women's tennis world No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland topped the highest-paid female athletes list with an estimated $23.9 million (before taxes and agents' fees). In 2023, Swiatek was recognised as one of tennis's brightest stars by winning the second consecutive WTA Player of the Year Award. She has now spent a total of 82 weeks at the top spot, ranking 10th in WTA history. Swiatek also occupies the 14th position on the tour's career prize money list, boasting nearly $25 million in earnings.

Swiatek earned $14 million of her income through endorsements. Visa, On shoes and apparel, Oshee sports drinks and information technology company Infosys are some of the prominent brands endorsed by Swiatek.

2. Eileen Gu (Freestyle skiing) | $22.1 million

Eileen Gu, the freestyle skier and model, came in second on the top highest-paid female athletes list. She made $22.1 million in 2023, with the majority of her earnings coming from endorsements. Brands such as Mengniu Dairy and sportswear giant Anta in China, as well as luxury labels like Louis Vuitton and Victoria's Secret in the West, have all invested in partnerships with Gu. She was born in San Francisco but represented China in competition.

Despite struggling with a knee injury, Gu made a successful return in December and clinched victory in halfpipe events in both China and Colorado during her first World Cup action in 11 months.

Also Read: The Soaring Value of Women's Sports: A Game-Changer in the Sports World

3. Coco Gauff (Tennis) | $21.7 million

Coco Gauff enjoyed the biggest season of her career in 2023 on the court, highlighted by her breakthrough victory at the US Open, her first Grand Slam title. Gauff has won four WTA tournaments in 2023 and as a result, she achieved a career-best No. 3 ranking in singles.

Apart from that, Gauff also raked in the deals and endorsements off the court, too. She has an estimated net worth of $21.7 million. 19-year-old Gauff demonstrated her commercial appeal by securing partnerships with brands such as Baker Tilly, Bose, and UPS this year. Recognized for her passion for Marvel superheroes, Gauff was featured in an advertisement for the 2023 film "The Marvels" and graced the cover of a limited-edition Invincible Iron Man comic book.

4. Emma Raducanu (Tennis) | $15.2 million

2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu, number three last year, played only 10 matches in 2023 as she underwent surgery on both her wrists and one ankle midway through the way. Despite this, she earned $15.2 million this campaign with $15 million coming from endorsements. Raducanu has an endorsement deal with HSBC, Tiffany, British Airways, Christian Dior, Vodafone, Porsche and Evian.

5. Naomi Osaka (Tennis) | $15 million

Naomi Osaka has not played an event since September 2022 till last year as as she gave birth to a daughter in July. Osaka has an estimated net worth of $15 million, which came only through endorsements.

Osaka cut way back on her sponsor commitments in 2023, but she did add a new partner three months ago; Meta created her own AI chatbot character named Tamika. Other celebrities with AI personalities on some Meta platforms include Snoop Dogg, Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner and Dwyane Wade.

Also Read: Highest paid athlete from each sport in 2022 according to Forbes

6. Aryna Sabalenka (Tennis) | $14.7 million

Aryna Sabalenka had a dominant 2023 as the only women to reach the semifinals of all four Grand Slam events, including an Australian Open win and US Open runner-up finish. In September, she became the 29th women to ever hold the No. 1 ranking. She also received the International Tennis Federation's World Champion Award. 

Sabalenka has an estimated net worth of $14.7 million. She recently collaborated with Maestro Dobel Tequila and Leaf Trading Cards. Beyond tennis, Sabalenka invested in wellness brand Beekeeper's Naturals and Olipop soda. She was also featured in Netflix's tennis docuseries Break Point.

7. Jessica Pegula (Tennis) | $12.5 million

Jessica Pegula has yet to make it past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam event but finished the year ranked fifth in the world thanks to wins in 77% of her matches and two tournament titles. She was named to the esteemed 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Pegula's stellar year on the court was her victory at the Montreal singles tournament, marking the biggest title of her career. In addition, she reached the championship match at the WTA Finals in November.

Pegula has an estimated net worth of $12.5 million. Off the court, Pegula continues to expand her brand presence by securing partnerships with brands such as Dyson headphones, De Bethune watches, and Gorjana jewelry.

8. Venus Williams (Tennis) | $12.2 million

Venus Williams' competitive appearances have become infrequent. She participated in just seven tournaments and played 10 matches last year but her influence as a marketing powerhouse remains. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has recently expanded her brand portfolio through strategic partnerships with Dove and Nestlé's Purina PetCare. Simultaneously, she introduced a jewellery line in collaboration with Reinstein Ross and made a strategic investment in the Los Angeles Golf Club, a team set to compete in the upcoming TGL league developed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's TMRW Sports.

Beyond sports and lifestyle, Williams is extending her impact as an executive producer on "Behind the Racquet".

Also Read: Grand Slam Records: Most Grand Slam singles matches wins (men and women)

9. Elena Rybakina (Tennis) | $9.5 million

Elena Rybakina backed up her 2022 Wimbledon win with a pair of WTA 1000 tournament wins this year at Indian Wells and Rome, as well as a runner-up finish at the Australian Open. Building on this success, she had an outstanding 2023 season, securing victories in two WTA 1000 tournaments and concluding the year at an impressive No. 4 in the singles rankings.

Throughout her ascent, the 24-year-old player has strategically expanded her brand associations, forging partnerships with notable entities such as Red Bull and Yonex.

10. Leylah Fernandez (Tennis) | $8.8 million

Similar to Emma Raducanu, Leylah Fernandez continues to reap the rewards of her notable run to the 2021 US Open final. She maintains partnerships with more than 10 endorsement partners like Lululemon, Morgan Stanley, and Google Pixel phones. However, akin to Raducanu, Fernandez has encountered challenges in meeting the expectations set by her early success on the court.

11. Nelly Korda (Golf) | $8.2 million

Nelly Korda failed to reach the winner's circle in 2023, but her sponsor portfolio was transformed in a boost her off-course earnings. The 2021 Women's PGA Championship winner added lucrative new deals with Nike and TaylorMade, replacing J Lindeberg and Titleist to start the year, as well as another pair of global brands, Delta Airlines and Goldman Sachs.

11. Megan Rapinoe (Football) | $8.2 million

Megan Rapinoe did not get the storybook ending to her career as she was injured early in the NWSL Championship game, and her OL Reign fell to Gotham FC. Retirement will free up time for Rapinoe, who is a sought-after corporate speaker and last year launched a production company, A Touch More, along with her partner, WNBA legend Sue Bird.

13. Candace Parker (Basketball) | $8.1 million

Candace Parker captured the 2021 WNBA championship with the Chicago Sky and won another title (while injured) with the Las Vegas Aces in 2023. But with league salaries capped at around $200,000, she makes nearly all of her money from endorsements. Her brand partners include Adidas, CarMax and Gatorade and her annual off-the-court pay is more than double her total playing salary across her 15 years in the WNBA.

Candace was the first woman to appear on the cover of an "NBA 2K" video game and was among the star athletes to invest in trading-card exchange Alt in a funding round announced in November 2021. She also has a lucrative contract as an NBA analyst for Turner Sports.

14. Alex Morgan (Football) | $7.8 million

The US Women's National Team flamed out early at the 2023 World Cup, but Alex Morgan remains the sport's most popular choice for marketers. She has endorsement deals with Nike, Calvin Klein, Molecule, Hublot, Bodyarmor and Michelob Ultra. In 2021, she founded a female-focused media platform, Togethxr, with fellow star athletes Sue Bird, Chloe Kim and Simone Manuel. This year, she launched her own foundation. Her latest is an investment in Los Angeles Golf Club, a franchise in the Monday night golf league TGL set to launch in 2025.

15. Qinwen Zheng (Tennis) | $7.2 million

Qinwen Zheng won the WTA's Most Improved Player Award in 2023, an impressive follow-up to her 2022 Newcomer of the Year Award. She won singles titles in Palermo and Zhengzhou in 2023 and reached the US Open quarterfinals. Some in the sport wonder if she could be a marketing star along the lines of her countrywoman Li Na, who finished no lower than third in the female athletes earnings ranking from 2012 to 2014.

16. Simone Biles (Gymnastics) | $7.1 million

Simone Biles returned to competition in 2023 and was as dominant as ever. She clinched four gold medals at the World Championships, extending her record to 30 total career medals at the event, including 23 golds. She led the US to a record-breaking seventh consecutive world team title. In 2021, Biles left Nike to join Athleta, and this year, the brand released their third Athleta Girl Collection with Biles, which is entitled "Because I Can."

16. PV Sindhu (Badminton) | $7.1 million

India's PV Sindhu has made it into the list of top highest-paid female athletes by Forbes where she finished at the 16th spot alongside gymnast Simone Biles with her $7.1 million earnings. She is her country's sole representative on the list. Sindhu earned around seven million USD in off-field partnerships, having secured deals with Centuary Mattress and American Pistachio Growers in the past year.

Sindhu is already among India's most marketable athletes, with her sponsors ranging from Asian Paints to Bank of Baroda. Compared to her off-field marketing prowess, Sindhu earned just 0.1 million USD in on-field prize money, underlining her barren year and Badminton's financial disparity to other, more global sports. 

Also Read: PV Sindhu announces legendary Prakash Padukone as her mentor in quest of Olympic gold

18. Ons Jabeur (Tennis) | $5.7 million

Ons Jabeur reached her second straight Wimbledon final in 2023 and finished the season ranked sixth in the world. The Tunisian-born tennis ace was the first African and Arab woman to contest a major singles final. She has endorsements with Lotto, Wilson and Laval, and will collect an appearance fee in Saudi Arabia at the end of December.

19. Brooke Henderson (Golf) | $5.4 million

Henderson, a winner of two major golf championships, is arguably the most prominent female athlete in Canada. In January, she followed in the footsteps of Nelly Korda and transitioned to using TaylorMade equipment.

20. Markéta Vondroušová (Tennis) | $5.2 million

Markéta Vondroušová close the list of the top 20 highest-paid female athletes. At the time, Vondroušová, who was ranked 42nd, made history by becoming the first unseeded woman to clinch the Wimbledon singles title in July. It was an unexpected victory for her, as evidenced by her last-minute arrangement for a cat sitter.

Following her triumphant performance at the tournament, the 24-year-old tennis star from the Czech Republic secured a new clothing sponsorship deal with J.Lindeberg. She ended the year on a high note, ranking seventh in the women's singles rankings.

Lionel Messi won the World Sportsman of the Year Award at the Laureus Sports Awards 2023 held in Paris. He also collected another award as part of Team of the Year for Argentina's victory at the FIFA World Cup last year. Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won the Sportswoman of the Year award on her sixth nomination.

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Laureus Sport Awards 2023: Every Winner

This is Messi's second individual title after sharing the honour with Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton in 2020. He also became the first athlete to win the individual and team awards in the same year.

"I was looking at the names of the incredible legends that won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award before me: Schumacher, Woods, Nadal, Federer, Bolt, Hamilton, Djokovic… it really sunk in what unbelievable company I'm in and what a unique honour this is," the Argentine said.

Fraser-Pryce's exploits last year included winning the 100-meter gold at the World Athletics Championships for a staggering fifth time. She has won three Olympic and 10 world championship gold medals. Fraser-Pryce called her award "one of the greatest honours of my career."

• Tennis player Carlos Alcaraz won the US Open last year as a teenager and climbed to the top of the ranks. He was honoured with the Breakthrough of the Year award.

• The Sport for Good Award was presented to TeamUp - a programme for children displaced by war - by Barcelona and Poland star Robert Lewandowski.

• Meanwhile, Chinese-American Olympic ski freestyle champion Eileen Gu won the World Action Sportsperson accolade.

• Denmark and Manchester United star Christian Eriksen earned a Comeback Award. He returned to the top of the European game after collapsing with cardiac arrest during the Euros two years ago.

• Swiss para-athlete sensation Catherine Debrunner meanwhile picked up the Disability Award after triumphing in her opening two marathons

The Laureus World Sports Awards were held in person in Paris for the first time since 2020. They were held virtually on account of the coronavirus pandemic.

Lionel Messi won the World Sportsman of the Year Award at the Laureus Sports Awards 2023 held in Paris. He also collected another award as part of Team of the Year for Argentina's victory at the FIFA World Cup last year. Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won the Sportswoman of the Year award on her sixth nomination.

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Laureus Sport Awards 2023: Every Winner

This is Messi's second individual title after sharing the honour with Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton in 2020. He also became the first athlete to win the individual and team awards in the same year.

"I was looking at the names of the incredible legends that won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award before me: Schumacher, Woods, Nadal, Federer, Bolt, Hamilton, Djokovic… it really sunk in what unbelievable company I'm in and what a unique honour this is," the Argentine said.

History maker! Lionel Messi is the first ever athlete to win the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year and Laureus World Team of the Year Awards in the same year.#Laureus23 pic.twitter.com/WJeaBghAMA

— Laureus (@LaureusSport) May 8, 2023

Fraser-Pryce's exploits last year included winning the 100-meter gold at the World Athletics Championships for a staggering fifth time. She has won three Olympic and 10 world championship gold medals. Fraser-Pryce called her award "one of the greatest honours of my career."

🏆 @realshellyannfp is the 2023 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year.

The Mommy Rocket extended her phenomenal legacy on the track last year by winning a fifth @WorldAthletics 100m title and a fifth @Diamond_League trophy. #Laureus23 pic.twitter.com/JLoNN23qPu

— Laureus (@LaureusSport) May 8, 2023

• Tennis player Carlos Alcaraz won the US Open last year as a teenager and climbed to the top of the ranks. He was honoured with the Breakthrough of the Year award.

• The Sport for Good Award was presented to TeamUp – a programme for children displaced by war – by Barcelona and Poland star Robert Lewandowski.

• Meanwhile, Chinese-American Olympic ski freestyle champion Eileen Gu won the World Action Sportsperson accolade.

• Denmark and Manchester United star Christian Eriksen earned a Comeback Award. He returned to the top of the European game after collapsing with cardiac arrest during the Euros two years ago.

• Swiss para-athlete sensation Catherine Debrunner meanwhile picked up the Disability Award after triumphing in her opening two marathons

The Laureus World Sports Awards were held in person in Paris for the first time since 2020. They were held virtually on account of the coronavirus pandemic.

When Timothy LeDuc and Ashley Cain-Gribble walked to the ice as a pair, they made history as the first publicly nonbinary winter Olympians at the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022. In their first appearance, they finished in seventh place.

Read more: Shailaja Kumar: the first Indian woman to compete in the Winter Olympics

So, what exactly is the meaning of a 'Non-binary' athlete?

Being non-binary in the sense of gender means not identifying as either a man or a woman. It expresses a rejection of the notion that there are two genders: man and woman. Some civilizations do not employ a gender binary, despite the fact that most do. Meanwhile, the presence of a third gender has been officially recognised in India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. In the context of athletes competing in competitive sports events, the term "non-binary" has the same meaning as in other gender situations.

Many sporting tournaments demand contestants to fit neatly into either "man" or "woman" categories. Thus, It makes it particularly difficult for non-binary people to compete. However, keeping all these restrictions and taboos behind, Timothy LeDuc became the first-ever non-binary Olympian in figure skating to compete in the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022.

Basically, in these cases, instead of using "he" or "she" to refer to anyone, you use "they." You use "them" instead of "he" or "her" when you would normally use "him" or "her." However, when it comes to the pronouns, LeDuc uses gender-neutral pronouns. These are "they" and "them".

Read more: Beijing Winter Olympics 2022: China's Eileen Gu becomes first freestyle skier to win medals in three different events

LeDuc's reaction after becoming the first-ever non-binary Olympian to compete in the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022

Participating in a sport where the typical male-female dynamic is often openly displayed has been challenging for LeDuc and their pairs partner Ashley Cain-Gribble, who has complained about being "body-shamed" as a freakishly tall female skater.

At the Beijing Games, the pair skated to a season-best score of 74.13 in the short programme. Afterwards, LeDuc stated, "It was such a joyous moment for us out there today. I think both Ashley and I have had to overcome so many different things so many times when people have told us no or that we don't belong."

After finishing seventh in the short programme, the duo will compete in the final free skate on Saturday.

"Both Ashley and I, we had something to prove today. I hope people watching us feel like maybe there is space for them to come into figure skating. And for them to be able to celebrate what makes them unique and different," they went on to add.

"I know for me, people who are non-binary, it's only possible because amazing queer people have come before me and laid the groundwork for me. And so now I want to do that for others to come after as well," LeDuc concluded.

Read more: Shiva Keshavan becomes the first Indian to be included in Olympians for Life, Beijing 2022 edition

Furthermore, The American figure skater in pairs aspires to pave the path for others to participate in the sport without being limited by gender prejudices.

As per LGBTQ+ news site Outsports, a record number of publicly LGBTQ+ athletes are participating in the Winter Olympics — at least 36, or double the amount from Pyeongchang in 2018. Also, the first openly transgender and non-binary Olympians competed in the Tokyo Summer Games last year.

On Wednesday, Indian alpine skier Mohammad Arif Khan received a DNF in the men's slalom category at the current Beijing Winter Olympics 2022. DNF means 'Did not finish'. Khan failed to finish his first run at the Yanqing National Alpine Skiing Centre. As a result, he was unable to compete in the second run.

Read more: Shailaja Kumar: the first Indian woman to compete in the Winter Olympics

Johannes Strolz of Austria led the race after Run 1 with a timing of 53.92 seconds. Arif ranked 45th out of 89 competitors in the men's giant slalom race on Sunday. The Indian skier from Jammu and Kashmir ended in 2:47.24, 37.89 seconds behind the winner.

Arif Khan shared his experience on his debut at the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022

In his words, "It's one of my dreams to be at Winter Olympics and this is my first time. It really means a lot. It's a great message back to our country and to our people to join winter sports in the future."

However, at the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022, Arif Khan was India's sole representative.

"There were like millions of people watching me live back home. I was trying my best to give the best I have got. But the weather was uncertain, you couldn't see much. Like how the slope was used but it was good," He added further.

Read more: Shiva Keshavan becomes the first Indian to be included in Olympians for Life, Beijing 2022 edition

Nevertheless, despite his abysmal performance in Beijing 2022, Arif Khan has already created a name for himself during his first Winter Games, achieving the best-ever finish by an Indian in giant slalom.