Picabo Street

In February of 2002, after a disappointing 16th place finish in the Women's Olympic Downhill, Picabo Street put away her competitive skis at the age of thirty and opted instead for a more laid-back life, all things considered. "I'm not going to have to live without skiing," she told the BBC news. "I'm just going to have to live without trying to be perfect on my skis every day, which is wonderful."

Street is a role model for many young women. She told Great Women in Sports that "Sports are an avenue to be happy with myself. And that's why I do the media I do," she said, referring to her appearances not on Letterman and Leno but instead on Sesame Street and other children-oriented programs. "It's important," she continues, "for girls to see bigger women with strong opinions, who are also sensitive and vulnerable. I want to tell them, 'You can be a strong athlete and still be feminine.'"