|
Home
> Faces of Asthma
> Sports Figures |
Celebrities |
Musicians |
Political Figures |
Kids Like You and Me |
Others
|
 Justine Henin
25-year-old Belgian tennis player Justine Henin, currently ranked the number 1 tennis player in the world, has won over 40 career titles including the Grand Slam singles, French Open, Australian Open and U.S. Open. She also earned the gold medal in singles at the 2004 Summer Olympics. After admitting to struggling at the U.S. Open, Henin consulted a specialist who diagnosed her with asthma. She now follows a treatment plan to keep her symptoms under control, and she's hopeful she'll be able to compete at the top of her game during the upcoming Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Wikipedia Link | USA Today Link | UK Reuters Link
|
 Jan Ullrich
A German professional road bicycle racer, in 1997 he was the first German to win the Tour de France. He controls his asthma using sprays and pills, and cortisone when it's really bad.
Wikipedia Link |
 Alison Streeter
Referred to as "Queen of the English Channel", Streeter has swum the English Channel more times than anyone else in the world. She swam it for the first time two days after her 18th birthday. As a child, Streeter suffered from severe asthma and a doctor suggested that some form of regular exercise might help alleviate her symptoms. Her parents enrolled her in her local swimming club, and the rest is history!
Wikipedia Link |
 Mark Spitz
An American swimmer and 11-time Olympic medalist, asthma didn't prevent Spitz from holding the record for most gold medals won in a single Olympic Games (seven), which he set at the 1972 Summer Olympics. In 2000, Mark was voted Athlete of the Century in water sports and One of the Six Greatest Olympians Ever by Sports Illustrated.
Wikipedia Link |
 Paul Scholes
A soccer player (English football player), Scholes plays for the Manchester United. He's been termed one of the best midfielders of his generation and his fans are known to chant: "He's Paul Scholes. He scores goals!" Scholes was diagnosed with asthma when he was 21 and has said he takes a preventative inhaler daily and a reliever inhaler before training and matches.
Wikipedia Link |
 Gary Roberts
Having asthma has not stopped Canadian-born Roberts from being a professional hockey player in the NHL. He currently plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Wikipedia Link |
 Paula Radcliffe
World class British long-distance runner, Radcliffe holds a total of 10 world records and she smashed the women's world marathon record during the Chicago Marathon in 2002. Radcliffe was diagnosed with asthma when she was 14-years-old, but it certainly hasn't prevented her from becoming one of Britain's best athletes. She manages her health by always making sure she gets the right level of treatment - a preventative inhaler first thing in the morning and before she goes to bed at night, and a reliever inhaler before exercising.
Wikipedia Link |
 Adrian Moorhouse
A former British swimmer, Moorhouse dominated British swimming in the late 80's. He won the 100m breaststroke gold medal at the Seoul Olympics in 1988. Of his asthma, Moorhouse has said, "Having asthma should not stop you leading a full and active life. With knowledge of my condition, the correct treatment and a desire to succeed, I became the Olympic champion!"
Wikipedia Link |
 Makoa Freitas
An NFL Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle, Freitas was diagnosed with asthma when he was 6 after having breathing problems playing soccer. He has managed it ever since with medication and inhalers.
Wikipedia Link |
 Mary Jo Fernandez
A former professional tennis player and 2-time Olympic gold medalist winner, asthma never stopped Fernandez from playing her absolute best and winning matches!
Wikipedia Link |
 Renn Critchlow
Though he suffers from asthma and didn't even begin kayaking until he was 12, Critchlow qualified for the Canadian Olympic team at the1988 Olympics in Seoul, and in 1991 he earned the title of World Champion kayaker.
|
 Tamika Catchings
A WNBA player, Catchings plays forward for the Indiana Fever. Diagnosed with asthma in grade school, she didn't do much to manage it and barely used her inhaler. Once Catchings began playing for the WNBA, however, she found herself winded and tired and now she uses her inhaler before games to keep her condition under control.
Wikipedia Link |
 Donnell Bennett
A NFL fullback for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Washington Redksins, Bennett has always been able to compete to the best of his athletic ability even though he's asthmatic.
Wikipedia Link |
 Kristi Yamaguchi
The Gold Medalist in figure skating at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, Yamaguchi was World Champion twice, in 1991 and 1992, and U.S. National Champion in 1992. She was also U.S. National Pairs Champion twice, in 1989 and 1990, before deciding to focus on singles. In 1988, she won the World Juniors Championships in both singles and pairs. Yamaguchi works hard at not letting her asthma stand in her way.
Wikipedia Link |
 Emmitt Smith
A former football player, Smith played for the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals. Smith's a three-time Super Bowl champion and the NFL's all time rushing leader. He is also the winner of the 2006 "Dancing with the Stars" reality TV competition.
Wikipedia Link |
 Juwan Howard
A professional NBA basketball player, currently with the Dallas Mavericks.
Wikipedia Link |
 Charmaine Crooks
Five-time Olympian and Olympic Silver Medalist, Charmaine Crooks represented Canada for close to 20 years in athletics. As the first Canadian woman to run 800 meters in under two minutes, she has won gold medals at the Pan American, Commonwealth, World Cup and World Student Games.
Wikipedia Link |
 Curt Harnett
A Canadian cyclist, Harnett has competed in four Olympic games, winning 3 medals, one silver and two bronze.
Wikipedia Link |
 Sharon Donnelly
A Canadian Triathlete who competed at the first Olympic triathlon at the 2000 Summer Olympics. Donnelly took thirty-eighth place.
Wikipedia Link |
 Ashley Battle
A basketball player for the WNBA's New York Liberty, as an undergrad at The University of Connecticut, Battle contributed to three NCAA Championship wins for the women's basketball team. First diagnosed with asthma when she was a child, during her freshman year of college Battle found she got easily winded during practice and games. She began a regimen of taking her asthma medication 30 minutes before games and exercise and says this helps to control her symptoms.
Wikipedia Link |
 Blair Betts
A Canadian professional ice hockey center from Edmonton, Alberta, Betts currently plays for the NHL's New York Rangers. Previously he played for the NHL team Calgary Flames, as well as the amateur teams Prince George and Western Hockey League. He's said to be the perfect size for the pivot position and possesses good two-way skills. Betts is also recognized for his good leadership and work ethic qualities.
Wikipedia Link |
 Ryan Hollweg
A professional hockey player who was drafted by the New York Rangers
in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, Hollweg, whose position is left wing, is
known for playing aggressively and being a good defender. Though he's
had asthma since he was 5-years-old, it hasn't stopped Hollweg, who
played for the amateur teams Medicine Hat and Western Hockey League
before joining the NHL, from turning his lifelong dream of becoming a
professional hockey player into a reality.
Wikipedia Link |
 Robert Joffrey
Dancer, choreographer, teacher, and ballet director, Joffrey choreographed his first ballet in 1952, and within a few years had formed the Joffrey Ballet, which toured America by the middle of the decade and achieved international fame. Diagnosed with chronic asthma as a child, Joffrey's physician recommended dancing because he believed the breathing techniques taught in class would help Joffrey control his symptoms.
Wikipedia Link |
 Alberto Salazar
A marathon runner, Salazar is best known for his performances in the New York City Marathons in the early 1980s and his American track records.
|
 Debbie Meyer
A former American swimmer who won the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle swimming events in the 1968 Summer Olympics, Meyer set world records in 200m, 400m and 800m in the Olympics trials.
Wikipedia Link |
 Tom Malchow
An American swimmer who won a gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics and a silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics, Malchow broke the world record in the 200m fly in early 2000 and held it until 2001. He has had severe asthma since he was a teenager and strictly follows his doctor's treatment regimen.
Wikipedia Link |
 Bill Koch
An Olympic cross-country skier, Koch was the first world-class cross-country skier from the United States, and also the first American to win an Olympic medal in skiing, (the silver in the 30 km for the 1976 Olympics).
Wikipedia Link |
 Kurt Grote
A gold medalist swimmer, Grote began swimming when he was 15-years-old after his doctor told him it would help with his asthma.
|
 Tom Dolan
A swimmer from the United States who won gold and silver medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics and a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics, Dolan was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2006. Diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma and a 20% windpipe obstruction, he manages the condition with a selection of Olympic-approved medications and an inhaler.
Wikipedia Link |
 Dominique Wilkins
A retired NBA basketball player and Basketball Hall of Famer, Wilkins is one of the most prolific scorers and best dunkers in NBA history. Wilkins, who achieved so much athletic success even with asthma, has been quoted as saying, "Asthma is not a deterrent to playing sports."
Wikipedia Link |
 Jim "Catfish" Hunter
A Major League Baseball starting pitcher from 1965-1979, Hunter was the highest paid pitcher in baseball when he signed with the Yankees in 1975. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987.
Wikipedia Link |
 James Arthur 'Art' Monk
A former NFL player, Monk, who is considered one of the best NFL wide receivers of all time, played for the Washington Redskins from 1980-1993, the New York Jets in 1994 and Philadelphia Eagles in 1995.
Wikipedia Link |
 Amy Van Dyken
A swimmer with six gold medals, Van Dyken was the first American woman to win gold (in 1996). Diagnosed with severe asthma at 18-months, Van Dyken began swimming on the advice of a doctor as a way to strengthen her lungs to cope with her condition and prevent future asthma attacks.
Wikipedia Link |
 Nancy Hogshead
An Olympic swimmer, Hogshead won 4 medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, including 2 gold. In 1990 she authored the book, Asthma and Exercise (a compilation of stories from athletes who learned to manage their condition to reach highest levels of achievement), and says her diagnosis with asthma was her first step toward living a healthier life.
Wikipedia Link |
 Jackie Joyner-Kersee
A now retired track and field athlete, Joyner-Kersee won a silver medal in the heptathlon in the 1984 Olympics and gold medals in the 1988 and 1992 Games. She also won a gold medal in the long jump in 1988 and a bronze at the 1992 Olympics. Joyner-Kersee is the heptathlon world record-holder and American record-holder in the long jump. Diagnosed with asthma at age 18, she at first hid her condition from coaches, which put her life at great risk and caused her much suffering. When she finally began taking care of herself and following her doctor's health plans, Joyner-Kersee, who is regarded as one of the greatest female athletes in history, continued to shine athletically and has since said, "I wasn't going to let asthma get the best of me."
Wikipedia Link |
 Greg Louganis
An American diver best known for winning back-to-back Olympic titles, Louganis, who had childhood asthma, is regarded as the greatest Olympic diver of all time.
Wikipedia Link |
 Dennis Rodman
A professional basketball player best known for his defensive and rebounding ability, as well as his controversial behavior both on and off the court, Rodman is the first NBA player in history to win 5 championships with two different teams (Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls). Rodman has played for the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks during his NBA Career.
Wikipedia Link |
 Jerome Bettis
Nicknamed "The Bus", Bettis is a former football halfback for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Fifth on the National Football League's all-time rushing list, he retired in 2006 after a Super Bowl Victory. Bettis was first diagnosed with asthma when he was 15-years-old and has been quoted as saying: "I look at my asthma like the team I'm going to play against on Sunday. I train and I prepare to win."
Wikipedia Link |
