Caitlin Clark won another award on Christmas Eve.
Clark was named the Associated Press’ Female Athlete of the Year for 2024 after her record-setting year and for bringing more attention to the WNBA and women’s basketball.
The Indiana Fever star took 35 of the 74 votes from a group of sports journalists from the AP, according to Bleacher Report.
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles secured second place with 25 votes, while Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who has XY male chromosomes and won a gold medal in the women’s welterweight division at the Paris Olympics, received four votes, placing her third.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif celebrates victory at the Paris Olympics. Credit: Getty Images
FOX reported on Khelif:
Khelif qualified for the Paris Olympics, but Khelif’s gender was called into question following a disqualification from the 2023 championships before a gold medal bout over gender eligibility issues.
IBA President Umar Kremlev said the boxer had “XY chromosomes,” which are associated with biological males.
One boxer, Angela Carini, forfeited her bout against Khelif in Paris, saying “one punch hurt too much.”
Khelif won gold in Paris and wasn’t the only boxer to win a women’s gold who has been disqualified for failing gender eligibility tests.
Meanwhile, Clark was the favorite for the award.
Caitlin Clark continues to make history. The WNBA rookie star is already breaking records and filling stadiums to capacity at every game.
In May, WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark signed a multiyear partnership with Wilson that will include a signature basketball collection. The only other athlete in history who had a signature collection with Wilson was NBA great Michael Jordan decades ago.
Wilson Sporting Goods teased the release of their special edition Caitlin Clark basketballs.
Wilson wrote on X: “We know what you’re thinking: “What’s in the box?”
Check out this ad
– Brilliant!
We know you’re thinking: “What’s in that box?”
Check back 8/20 to find out! #WilsonBasketball #BondedByBall
– –@CaitlinClark22@WNBA@IndianaFever pic.twitter.com/0M3bASqjje
— Wilson Basketball (@WilsonBasktball) August 19, 2024
But what happened next was truly amazing.
Caitlin Clark fans began sharing the announcement on social media.
And within hours, the Wilson Caitlin Clark basketballs sold out—before Wilson posted their official announcement!
Clark sold out the Wilson basketballs in under 30 minutes!
It’s release was teased yesterday but Clark fans found the listing and it sold out before Wilson could post their official announcement pic.twitter.com/0zi4zwVKqC
— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) August 20, 2024
That’s not all—the Wilson Caitlin Clark Repetition basketball collection sold out in 11 hours last month in July!
It’s good times for Wilson Sporting Goods!
Caitlin Clark inspects the Wilson special edition basketballs before their release. The basketballs sold out in 30 minutes.
This should come as no surprise. According to ESPN, Caitlin Clark is currently the fourth most popular active athlete, Man or Woman!
That’s unheard of for women’s sports!
Caitlin Clark has now become ESPN’s fourth most favorited active athlete
The only athletes ahead of her:
LeBron James
Tiger Woods
Stephen Curry#WNBA pic.twitter.com/95uwrYJRTW
— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) June 21, 2024
It makes you wonder why the WNBA continues to snub this legend?
Clark is the fourth most popular sports figure in America today.
Caitlin Clark has now become ESPN’s fourth most favorited active athlete
The only athletes ahead of her:
LeBron James
Tiger Woods
Stephen Curry#WNBA pic.twitter.com/95uwrYJRTW
— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) June 21, 2024
Three of the top six basketball games in viewership in 2024 included Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes, including the most watched basketball game this year, Clark and the Hawkeyes verses South Carolina in the Women’s NCAA Championship game.
Three of the top six most watched basketball games (MBB, WBB, NBA, WNBA) so far in 2024 have included the Iowa Women’s Basketball team. https://t.co/JJVu1f08Cx
— Kyle Huesmann (@HuesmannKyle) June 19, 2024
The top WNBA games in viewership on six networks all involve Caitlin Clark.
6 networks have set personal WNBA viewership records this season;
CBS: 2.25M Fever-Sky
ESPN2: 2.1M Fever-Sun
ABC: 1.7M Fever-Liberty
ESPN: 1.56M Fever-Sun
Ion: 1.02M Fever-Mystics
NBA TV: 430K Fever – Liberty
Caitlin. Clark. Effect.#WNBA pic.twitter.com/uoK3O3xcgg
— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) June 18, 2024
The post Caitlin Clark Wins AP Female Athlete of the Year Award — Yet Controversial Algerian Boxer Snags Third Place with Four Votes appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
