Meet our 2020 Game Changers — Assembly

Around the world, female athletes are defying convention on and off the field.

They’re challenging discrimination and lack of diversity in their sports. They’re changing perceptions of people with disabilities. They’re paving the way for other young women. And they’re speaking out to help every girl learn.

In our 2020 Game Changers series, 30 female athletes tell us about their accomplishments in sport and their work to make our world a more equal place. They share why they prioritise their education alongside their sporting careers — and we dive into research that shows that playing sports helps girls thrive in school, at home and at work.

Video credit: Ayesha Shakya

Representing 24 countries, our Game Changers are footballers, skateboarders, gamers, swimmers, runners, golfers, skiers, surfers, fencers, softball players and martial artists. Some have competed at the Olympics and Paralympics, others are just starting out. Each one is a testament to the incredible potential of girls and women when given the opportunity to learn and lead.

Meet our 2020 Game Changers.

Aaliyah Powell, U.K.

17-year-old British taekwondo champion Aaliyah Powell boasts medals from the Junior European Championships, Junior World Championships and Senior World Championships. Accomplishing these feats requires many hours of training per week, but she still manages to find time for her studies. Aaliyah writes about the challenges (and rewards) of being an elite student athlete.

Atefa, Afghanistan

Skateboarding has brought a lot of positive change to 17-year-old Atefa’s life. She gained confidence, started mentoring other students and even travelled to China for an international skateboarding competition where she earned sixth place. Atefa discusses becoming the first girl in her country to land a kickflip and why she wants every girl to be able to skate freely. This article is also available in Dari.

Aya Ayman, Egypt

Aya Ayman is the first and youngest Egyptian, African and Arabian female athlete to get a world para-swimming medal. This year she qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, all while pursuing her degree in international marketing communications. Aya shares why education is essential to achieving her dreams in sport.

Ayesha Ayaz, Pakistan

After making headlines at competitions around the world and earning gold at the 2020 Fujairah Open Taekwondo Championship, 9-year-old Ayesha Ayaz is now a household name in Pakistan. She discusses her goals for her future and how she’s helping other girls in her community pursue their own careers in taekwondo. This article is also available in Urdu.

Beatrice “Bebe” Vio, Italy

At the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, Beatrice “Bebe” Vio won a gold medal in wheelchair fencing, becoming the first quadruple amputee to compete in the sport. The 22-year-old Italian para-athlete is also a fierce fashionista and has appeared in the pages of Vogue Italia. We chat with Bebe about her love of fashion, her education and her fencing technique. This article is also available in Italian.

Burke Girma, Ethiopia

16-year-old Burke Girma loves to run. It makes her feel strong and she's proud to be part of the first all-girls running team in her Ethiopian community. For the latest instalment in our Roll Call series, Burke chronicles a week in her life as she trains with the Girls Gotta Run Foundation and helps her mother out at the market.

Camila Haase Quiros, Costa Rica

Camila Haase Quiros made history at the 2016 Paralympics when she became the first female Paralympian from Costa Rica. Now she helps other young people with disabilities get involved in the Paralympic movement. Camila shares how she’s changing the game for para-athletes with the Proud Paralympian mentorship programme.

Daniella Rosas, Peru

Peruvian surfer Daniella Rosas is famed for tackling one of the world’s toughest waves at age 13. Next year, the 18-year-old will take her talents to Tokyo and represent her country at the 2020 Olympic Games. Daniella dishes on what it’s like preparing for one of the biggest moments of her sporting career.

Deyna Castellanos, Venezuela

Hailing from Venezuela, you may know Deyna Castellanos best as one of Atlético Feminino’s top players or from her work as a gender equality and education advocate. Deyna explains how her education has prepared her to speak out on the issues she cares about, like inequality in women’s football.

Dinara Saduakassova, Kazakhstan

An International Master and Woman Grandmaster, Dinara Saduakassova’s prowess on the chessboard is known around the world. The champion player uses her platform to advocate for children's rights as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Dinara talks about why learning new things brings her joy.

Elizabeth Ayanacho, Nigeria

Since competing in her first major taekwondo tournament in 2017, Lizzy Anyanacho has won tournament after tournament. This year, the 21-year-old qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games, the first Nigerian female taekwondo athlete to make the cut in 16 years. Lizzy tells us about discovering her love for taekwondo and how the sport taught her leadership.

Felicity Passon, Seychelles

When Felicity Passon competed in her last swim competition of 2019, she was just trying to get in some practice racing. Little did she know that she would end up clocking one of her best times and qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Felicity discusses preparing for the Olympics and why she wants to see more inclusion in swimming in her home country of the Seychelles.

Harmilan Bains, India

Running is in Harmilan Bains’ genes. Her parents were both accomplished runners; her mom missed out on qualifying for the Olympics by just milliseconds. Now Harmilan is following in her parents’ footsteps, breaking records and topping podiums as one of India’s top young athletes. The 22-year-old talks about her family’s legacy and trying to achieve her mom’s dream of competing in the Olympics.

(Courtesy of Kawaii Patrick Wabwire Jr.)

Husnah Kukundakwe, Uganda

At age 13, Husnah Kukundakwe is making history as Uganda’s only active para-swimmer. The young champion works to challenge perceptions of people with disabilities and raise awareness about barriers to girls’ education in her home country. Husnah tells us about some of her many passions: swimming, Scrabble and SpongeBob SquarePants.

Iyeneobong Essien, Nigeria

At 13 years old, Iyene Essien is Nigeria’s number one junior golfer, with 17 medals and 11 international tournaments under her belt. While she works to bring home her country’s first gold medal in golf at the upcoming 2022 Summer Youth Olympics, she’s also looking ahead to what she wants to study at university (artificial intelligence and robotics). Iyene discusses her life as a student athlete and why girls need to see themselves represented in the golf circuit.

Karenjeet Kaur Bains, U.K.

Powerlifter Karenjeet Kaur Bains has a long list of accomplishments including placing in the top 10 at the World and European Championships and becoming 2019 Commonwealth Champion. But what she’s proud of the most is being the first British Sikh woman to represent Great Britain in an international powerlifting competition. Karenjeet tells us about her journey into the sport and how she represents her heritage every time she lifts.

Lucía Montenegro, Argentina

When it comes to disability rights, wheelchair racer Lucía Montenegro won’t stay in her lane. The 17-year-old Argentinian uses her athleticism to advocate for change. She speaks out about lack of transparency in para-sport and the discrimination she’s faced from her school.

Manal Rostom, Egypt

Manal Rostom has run 13 marathons, climbed two of the seven summits and was the first hijabi athlete featured in a Nike campaign. The marathon runner is also the founder of Surviving Hijab, a digital support group for women wearing the veil. Manal shares how her education helped shape her into the athlete and advocate she is today.

Maria Fassi, Mexico

Fresh off her first LPGA win, Maria Fassi is ready to take the golf world by storm. She’s already planning how to make the sport more inclusive and help female athletes get the recognition they deserve. Maria describes the discrimination she has experienced on the green and why she wants to be a role model for other young women.

Mialitiana “Mia” Clerc, Madagascar

At age 16, Mia Clerc became the first female athlete to represent Madagascar at the Winter Olympics. Now 18 years old, the rising star balances her training with her university studies. She explains why her education has helped her in her ski career (hint: speaking different languages comes in handy when you’re an international athlete).

Miki Matheson, Japan

After winning three gold medals for Japan at the 1998 Nagano Paralympic Games, Miki Matheson decided she wanted to do more to help other people with disabilities. Recognising the power of sport to create social change, Miki continued her work with the Paralympic movement. She tells us about creating I’mPOSSIBLE, a new education programme that’s teaching students inclusion through the Paralympic values.

(Courtesy of the Iran National Paralympic Committee)

Mohadeseh Kohansal, Iran

Iranian para-archer Mohadeseh Kohansal was just 17 years old when she competed in the 2016 Paralympic Games. She credits sports with helping her learn to believe in herself and she wants other young para-athletes to find that same confidence. Mohadeseh shares how she’s helping to inspire the next generation of athletes and leaders.

Natasha Watley, U.S.

When Natasha Watley came up to the plate, softball fans knew they were in for a treat. The two-time Olympic medalist could bunt, slap and hit for power — a triple threat who always kept the opposing team guessing. Now retired, Natasha describes her work with her nonprofit to create opportunities for girls in under-served communities to play softball.

Pratima Sherpa, Nepal

19-year-old Pratima Sherpa was born and raised in a maintenance shed at a golf course where her father still works as a security guard. Today Pratima is one of her country’s most popular golfers, with hopes of becoming Nepal’s first female golf pro. She shares about microaggressions in the golf world, studying at university and how she’s staying fit during COVID-19. This article is also available in Nepali.

Sara Vargas, Colombia

There's a lot 13-year-old Sara Vargas likes about being a champion para-swimmer: winning medals, beating out her rivals, representing her home country. But what she loves most is not the fame or the accolades, it's just being in the water. The Paralympic hopeful discusses preparing for international competitions, her go-to snacks and what motivates her to win. This article is also available in Spanish.

Sky Brown, U.K.

Since becoming the youngest professional skateboarder in the world in 2018, 12-year-old Sky Brown has amassed an impressive list of accomplishments. She won the bronze at the World Skateboarding Championship, finished fifth at the X Games skateboarding event and became a published author. Sky tells us about her next goal: becoming Britain’s youngest Olympian at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

Sylvia Gathoni, Kenya

2020 was supposed to be a milestone year for Kenyan gamer Sylvia Gathoni. The 22-year-old — who is known by her gaming pseudonym QueenArrow — was not only scheduled to compete on the Tekken World Tour, but she was also supposed to graduate from law school. Sylvia explains why she’s still optimistic about the future and describes what changes she wants to see in the gaming industry.

Tanya Muzinda, Zimbabwe

Tanya Muzinda is on a mission to become the first female motocross champion from Africa. Although the road ahead is bumpy with challenges like underfunding, gender discrimination and lack of access to competitions, the 15-year-old stays focused on her goal. Tanya shares how her education has helped her along the path to success and why she fights for every girl’s right to learn.

Tyasha “Ty” Harris, U.S.

Since the fourth grade, Tyasha “Ty” Harris has dreamed of playing for the WNBA. This year, she is making her dream a reality. The recent college graduate was just drafted by the Dallas Wings, the seventh overall pick. Ty discusses what this moment means to her and what she’s looking forward to most about finally playing in the WNBA.

Yasmeen Shabsough, Jordan

Jordanian footballer Yasmeen Shabsough knows the transformative power of sport. She has dedicated her career to helping other girls and women play football and learn teamwork and leadership along the way. Yasmeen explains why the brain is a muscle every athlete needs to work out.