Wataru Misaka was the first player to break the colour barrier in the NBA in the 1940s. He was also one of the shortest players, standing at 5 foot 7 while the average height is 6 feet and above.
Tanni Grey-Thompson is an accomplished Paralympian, achieving numerous medals during her career, her main event being wheelchair racing. She does not let anything stop her from achieving gold.
Oksana Chusovitina has competed in the last 8 Olympic games in gymnastics. Her career has spanned over 30 years, far beyond the traditional retirement age for gymnasts.
Im Dong-Hyun is legally blind and also a prolific Olympic archer.
Jessamyn Stanley is a plus-size yoga instructor and entrepreneur who advocates for greater body and ethnic inclusivity in the yoga and wellness industry.
Maya Gabeira is one of a handful of women who compete in big wave surfing, a male- dominated sport in which surfers ride waves between 20-80 ft tall.
Mirna Valerio is a plus-size marathon and long distance runner who advocates for inclusivity and inspires others to try to achieve their best in running activities.
Quan Hongchan is an accomplished Olympic diver at the age of 14. She competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and got perfect scores on her final two dives, winning over her more practiced competitors.
Sister Madonna Buder is still going strong at 91 years old, showing the world that elders are still strong and determined despite their age. She still competes in Iron Man Triathlons and has no desire to slow down.
Stephen Miller is a prolific Paralympic athlete and has numerous medals to his name. He does not let his cerebral palsy slow him down.
Came to Play, Came to Conquer
A poster series that depicts real world athletes of unconventional body types excelling in sports activities and to challenge societal discrimination and prejudices about what an athletic body looks like.
