Athletes Who Made TIME's 100 Most Influential People

[JamesG]

Jeremy Lin
by Arne Duncan






Jeremy Lin's story is a great lesson for kids everywhere because it debunks and defangs so many of the prejudices and stereotypes that unfairly hold children back. He's dispelled the idea that Asian-American guards somehow couldn't hack it in the NBA — and that being a world-class athlete on the court is somehow at odds with being an excellent student off the court.

Contrary to what you might read, Jeremy, 23, is no overnight sensation. In fact, he achieved success the old-fashioned way: he earned it. He worked hard and stayed humble. He lives the right way; he plays the right way.

It's great to see good values rewarded in professional sports because that's not always the case. Often it's the bling, the glam, the individual that gets celebrated — not the team and working together to advance a goal bigger than oneself.

Jeremy cares only about one thing — winning. And I don't care whether you are an Asian-American kid, white, black or Hispanic, Jeremy's story tells you that if you show grit, discipline and integrity, you too can get an opportunity to overcome the odds.











Tim Tebow
by Jeremy Lin






Watching Tim Tebow play football, you can observe many things about his character. You see his fierce competitiveness, his strong work ethic and how he is a leader that his teammates trust and respect.

But it is the qualities that Tim, 24, embodies in his life off the field that truly set him apart. He is unashamed of his convictions and faith, and he lives a life that consistently reflects his values, day in and day out.

Through his foundation, he constantly reaches out to people and communities in need of hope. He realizes what he has been blessed with and seeks to help those who are worse off. As athletes, we pour our hearts into winning games.

Tim is a reminder that life is about much more than that.











Novak Djokovic
by Bill Saporito






Novak Djokovic became the world's third-ranked tennis player on July 9, 2007. For the better part of the next four years he was the sport's top doormat. First Roger Federer and then Rafa Nadal would regularly wipe their feet on him en route to major titles; nine times they stomped him in Grand Slam events.

Djokovic's renowned sense of humor — he's a great mimic of his fellow pros — must have helped him. But while he yukked it up, he also upped his training regimen and refined his exquisite baseline shotmaking. No one has a more lethal backhand down the line.

He got mentally tougher too. Last year Djokovic reached No. 1 in dominating fashion, winning at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and dispatching both nemeses. He started 2012 by beating Nadal in a five-set, nearly six-hour epic for the Australian title.

"It's the result of the really hard work that I put into it," says Djokovic, 24, now a national hero in his native Serbia.



Djokovic's tennis hero is Pete Sampras, a serve-and-volley maestro who spent a record 286 weeks as top gun. Djokovic recognizes that the game today is different — more baseline power and speed, less touch.

And with Nadal and Federer hounding him, staying No. 1 will be difficult. But having worked for years to get there, he'll enjoy every moment of it.











Yani Tseng
by Annika Sorenstam






Golf is a game of numbers. Success is quantified statistically.

On the current landscape of women's golf, Yani Tseng's dominance is unquestionable. At 23, she's already won a career's worth of tournaments and prize money. But even more impressive than her win total, scoring average and No. 1 world ranking is the way she wins.

Yani's infectious smile and genuine enthusiasm for golf create an aura that grabs the attention of galleries and living rooms, captivating even casual sports fans. People know they're witnessing greatness.

A rare talent with the ability to energize a new generation of LPGA fans, Yani will get even better as she gains experience. Her potential both as a player and as an ambassador for the game is limitless.

While there's no way of knowing how many records she'll shatter, Yani's blend of skill, grace and work ethic will be a powerful force on the LPGA tour for years to come.











Lionel Messi
by Mia Hamm






A month ago, in the midst of his scoring a record five Champions League goals in one game, Lionel Messi chipped the ball over the keeper from inside 12 [yards]. I don't think people realize how hard that is to do. It would be impossible for me. I would probably end up with my foot stuck in the turf, and the ball would end up who knows where.

Messi, 24, is unbelievably talented and incredibly humble. He makes you hold your breath every time he touches the ball. It never seems to leave his feet. His love of the game and the pride he feels while playing for Barcelona and Argentina are palpable.

Then you meet him, and you are reminded that he is only 5 ft. 7 in. (170 cm). He was a bit shy — some of that can be attributed to the language barrier — but I was able to watch their training, and it was clear he was an incredible teammate. He was simply one of the guys — no better, no worse than anyone else on the team — and you can tell he respects his teammates and loves the training environment.

He certainly has the potential to be remembered as the best player of all time, and I am so grateful for his approach to the game in this day and age. Clearly he plays because he loves it, and it shows every time he takes the field.











Oscar Pistorius
by Sean Gregory






What's possible in athletics? Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee sprinter from South Africa, and his effort to compete against able-bodied runners in the 400-m and 4x400-m sprint events at the 2012 London Olympics, make the answer clear: absolutely anything.

Even when the running establishment — convinced his blades provided an advantage — tried to confine Pistorius to the Paralympics, he kept pushing his limits and the limits of the human body.

Now he's won the right to compete against the world's best. He is the definition of global inspiration.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/pa...111975,00.html