‘The Game Changers’: Vegan Athletes You Need to Know
Whether they’re running long distances or lifting heavy weights, everywhere you look, vegan athletes are rising to the top of their game.
With the release of the highly anticipated documentary The Game Changers, you may be wondering whether switching to plant-based eating would benefit your own athletic performance. Check out these pros, some of whom feature in the documentary, and decide for yourself.
Morgan Mitchell
Two-Time Australian 400m Champion
This swift Aussie, who made her Olympic debut at Rio in 2016, happily reported that being plant-powered helped give her a competitive edge. We’re cheering her on as she works towards competing in Tokyo next year.
Damien Mander
Founder and CEO, International Anti-Poaching Foundation
No gold medals are being handed out for what Damien Mander does, but there’s no doubt he deserves one. He’s a former Australian Royal Navy clearance diver and Special Operations military sniper who has used his expertise to set up a special protection unit for animals vulnerable to poaching.
Adam Zampa
Member of the West End Redbacks, the Melbourne Stars, and Australia’s Squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup
Adam Zampa is best known for his bowling for the Australian side, but he uses his athletic success to bat for animals. His PETA campaign appeared on the back of buses all around Adelaide, proclaiming, “We Are All Animals. Love Them. Don’t Eat Them.”
Peter Siddle
Member of the Adelaide Strikers, Australian Test Cricketer
Peter Siddle’s long and consistent career is a testament to his vegan stamina. He’s been playing test cricket since 2008 and has been vegan since 2012. According to commentators, he’s an “unsung hero of Australia’s attack” and an “evergreen” player. Check out more vegan cricketers here.
Nikki van Dijk
Professional Surfer on the World Surf League World Tour
As many surfing greats are witnessing the devastating impact of overfishing, fishing pollution, and climate change on our oceans, they’re opting to go vegan. Australia’s Nikki van Dijk is on board, and she says she’s never felt better.
Kyrie Irving
Basketball Player for the Brooklyn Nets
As a powerhouse player for the Brooklyn Nets, Australia-born Kyrie Irving claims that going vegan has done wonders for his body and energy levels, which he even mentioned in a Nike commercial.
Novak Djokovic
Tennis Champion
Novak Djokovic has won 16 Grand Slam singles titles. After winning Wimbledon in 2019 (for the fifth time), he told journalists his plant-based lifestyle was one of the reasons he recovers well. Check out more vegan tennis players here.
Juliet Burnett
Ballet Dancer
Photo by Marc Philippe Legein
Juliet Burnett, one of Australia’s most prominent ballet dancers, is currently First Soloist at Ballet Vlaanderen, Belgium’s premier ballet company. She’s also a writer and an advocate for compassionate living.
Kendrick Farris
American Record-Holding Weightlifter
Kendrick Farris is a three-time Pan American Games champ and the only American weightlifter to compete in the last three Olympic Games. He holds the American record for the clean and jerk – 209 kg – and a total weight record, combining a snatch and a clean and jerk for a massive 377 kg.
Patrik Baboumian
World Record–Holding Strongman
Germany’s Patrik Baboumian holds multiple world records, including the front-hold, keg lift, log lift, and super yoke. He also travelled 10 metres with a 550 kg yoke, the most weight ever carried by a human.”My strength needs no victims,” he says.
Erin Phillips
Australian Football League Player
Erin Philipps is the ultimate athlete, excelling in both football and basketball – all while powered by plants! As a member of the Adelaide Crows, she received both the AFL Women’s Best & Fairest Trophy and its Most Valuable Player Award. Although she’s now retired from playing basketball, she coaches for the Dallas Wings. Check out more vegan footy players here.
Lewis Hamilton
Formula One Driver
With five Formula One victories, Hamilton is considered one of the greatest drivers in the history of his sport. He switched to vegan eating in 2017 and says he’s never felt better. Now, he’s put his money where his mouth is, investing in a vegan burger chainand becoming one of the executive producers of The Game Changers documentary.
David Haye
Heavyweight Boxer
This heavyweight boxing champion went vegan after watching the powerful documentary Earthlings, which shows the devastating reality for animals used for human food. Now, he’s a living testament to the knockout power of vegan meals.
These athletes aren’t the only winners – animals benefit, too. You can save nearly 200 animals every year and help the environment by going vegan. Why not try it now?
Let’s make 2025 a historic year for animals
