TIMES revealed their annual list of 100 Most Influential People for 2016 on Thursday. Famed athletes such as, NBA star Steph Curry, golf pro Jordan Spieth, Olympic gold medalist sprinter Usain Bolt, former WWE wrestler Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, UFC fighter Rhonda Rousey, Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, professional tennis player Sania Merza, and member of the U.S. fence team Ibtihaj Muhammad all appeared on the top 100 list.
This list celebrates all the amazing icons that represent entertainment, politics, sports, fashion, tech, and more. Each honoree received their own page, written by other notable figures within the industry.
Bob Marley's son and Grammy Award winner Ziggy Marley shared his thoughts on Bolt. “Usain Bolt is a light. There are a lot of things in Jamaica —and the world—that cause separation: politics, inequality, crime. But an entire generation can look up to Usain. He’s a unifying force… I’m confident that afterward, he will continue to take all that he has learned,
both on and off the track, and pass it along to others. He’s a strong leader, and he’ll continue to be an inspiration. That’s the most important thing you can be.”
Rousey received a humorous yet motivational post from Golden Globe Award winner Tina Fey. “And I recommend you immediately get a tattoo of Ronda’s full “DNB” quote in which she explains that every muscle in her body serves a purpose and the way she looks is just a by-product,” Tina said. “Imagine if we could teach our daughters to value their bodies for what they can do, not for how others think they look. Could Ronda be the one to finally help us understand that as females, we define the word feminine and that it doesn’t define us?”
And Misty Copeland, who is the first African American ballerina for the American Ballet Theatre, expressed her thoughts about Mr. Curry.
“He combines a never-before-seen skill set with the panache and flair of a great performance artist. These skills and an amazing sense of the moment allow him to fearlessly lead his record-setting team by simultaneously fitting in and standing out, allowing his teammates to thrive and willing them to victory time and again, Copeland stated. “My definition of a role model is someone who maximizes their potential to push the boundaries of their circumstances with passion, purpose, integrity and the sensitivity to know they are setting an example for others along the way. Stephen Curry is a true role model”
Other iconic figures that made the list include Leonardo DiCaprio, Hillary Clinton, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Priscilla Chan, Mark Zuckerberg, Barack Obama, amongst many others.
You can see the complete list of TIMES Top 100 Most Influential People list here.
Picture via USA Today