Dara Torres

Dara Torres is many things to people. On top of her remarkable achievements in the pool, Dara's profile on dry land speaks for itself. She is an author with several books to her name, including 
Age is Just a Number
, published in April 2009. This masterpiece broke into the top 25 best-selling business books two months after its publication. With the book well received by her audience, the author would go on to release yet another book titled 
Gold Medal Fitness: A Revolutionary 5-Week Program
 in 2010. Like her first book, it became an instant hit, with New York Times listing it as a best-seller.

Sports Illustrated magazine named Dara one of the ''Top Female Athletes of the Decade,'' a recognition she deserved considering what she achieved during her swimming career. She is also a winner of the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly (ESPY) Award for “Best Comeback.”

It is worth noting that being an athlete did not prevent Dara from being a good mother and a role model to her children and other mothers, respectively. The fact that she is the McDonald's ''Champions of Play'' spokesperson in the world is a testament to this. This initiative aims at encouraging people to strike a balance between children's activity and nutrition.