Alfonsina Strada

Cyclist

Born March 16, 1891 Italy

  Once there was a girl who could ride a bike so fast that you could barely   see her. “Don’t go so fast, Alfonsina!” her parents would scream. Too   late- she has already whizzed past. When she got married, her family   hoped that she would finally give up this crazy idea of becoming a   cyclist. Instead. on her wedding day, her husband gifted her a brand-  new racing bike. They moved to Milan, and Alfonsina started to train   professionally. She was so fast and so strong that a few years later, she   entered the Giro d‘ltalla, one of the toughest races in the world. No other woman had ever attempted it before. "She'll never make it," people said. But nobody could stop Alfonsina. The race was long and strenuous, with twenty-one day-long stages along some of the steepest mountain roads in Europe. Of the ninety cyclists who started out, only thirty made it across the finish line: Alfonsina was one of them. She was greeted as a hero. The next year, she was banned from competing. "Giro d’ltalia is a men‘s race." the officials declared. But that didn't stop her either. She raced all the same and she set a speed record that stood for twenty-six years. even though she rode a 44-pound, 1-gear bike. She would be happy to know that things have changed a lot since then. Now, women's cycle racing is hugely popular. It's even an Olympic sport!

Lella Lombardi

Formula One Racer

Born March 26, 1941, Italy

  Once there was a girl who liked to help her father, Deliver   meat in their van. Every time they had a delivery she   would jump into the driver‘s seat and her father would   time her. Her name was Maria Grazia but everybody called   her Lella. Lella was so good at driving that she set a new   record with each delivery. Everyone in town got used to   seeing the Lombardis’ van driving speed down the hills,   with salami bouncing around in the back. When she   turned eighteen, Lella used all her savings to buy a used   racing car and started racing professionally. When her   parents read in the newspaper that she had won the   Formula 850 Championship, they weren't really surprised. Lella didn’t care that she was always the only woman in the race. She just drove as fast as she could to become a Formula One racing driver. Her first attempt was a flop: She didn't even qualify. But the next year she found a good manager, a sponsor, and a fantastic car with the Italian flag on the nose. During the Spanish Grand Prix, Leila finished sixth, becoming the first-ever female driver to score points in a Formula One Racer. Despite her success, her team decided to hire another driver- a man. Lella realized that Formula One still wasn’t ready to accept women drivers. She continued to race all her life. No other female has yet been able to break her Formula One record.

Amna Al Haddad

Weightlifter

Born October 21, 1989, United Arab Emirates

“Nobody can tell me what I can and cannot do .” - Amna Al Haddad

  Once upon a time, there was a journalist named Amna. Amna was not   happy. She was overweight and unfit. One day, she said to herself: "You   can do much more than this. Just do something. Go for a walk." And   that’s what she did. She enjoyed her walks so much she wanted to do   more, She ran long distances. She sprinted. She started to work out at   the gym, when she discovered weightlifting she knew this was the sport   for her. Amna’s life changed when the International Weightlifting   Federation allowed Muslim women to compete in a unitard (an outfit   that covers all skin). She started competing in Europe and America and   became an icon for Muslim girls across the world. "I like being strong,”   says Amna. "Being a girl does not mean you can't be as strong as a boy,   or even stronger!" She liked weightlifting so much that she started   training for the Olympic games in Rio. She thinks everyone should find a   sport they like, and practice it. "Whatever your age, religion, or ethnicity, sport is good for everyone," she says. "it creates peace and it unites nations.” she says. "No matter what the challenges are, never walk away from your dream. The more you persist, the closer you are going to get to your goals. When things get tough, just get tougher.”

Link for the video of  her first championship - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22NVKL43_9c