Alysa Liu, Noah Lyles among Olympians on 2026 Time 100 Most Influential list

Olympic gold medalists Alysa Liu, Noah Lyles, Hilary Knight, Chloe Kim and Scottie Scheffler made the 2026 Time 100 Most Influential list.

Traditionally, Time 100 listees have been based on factors including relevance, impact, innovation, leadership, ambition and success.

At least one Olympian made the list every year since its annual inception in 2004.

Liu, who won individual and team figure skating gold in Milan, made the list in the "Icons" category, along with Kim, who won snowboard halfpipe silver at the Milan Cortina Games after taking gold in 2018 and 2022.

"How can someone be so casual about being the best in the world?" former Saturday Night Live cast member Bowen Yang wrote of Liu. "That’s for Alysa Liu to know and the rest of us to witness in a screaming frenzy. She’s flipped her ponytail after finishing a historic program that won her an Olympic gold medal for figure skating. She’s shrugged off inane questions while sending a song to the top of the charts. She’s somehow made her triumphs feel unsentimental to herself but meaningful to everyone else."

Olympic gymnastics gold medalist wrote that Kim, who also made the Time 100 in 2018, "makes effort look cool."

"Any athlete who has competed at the highest level knows how much work goes into moments that look effortless from the outside," Lee wrote. "What I love about Chloe is that she doesn’t pretend it’s easy. She embraces the grind of Olympic snowboarding and still brings so much style, confidence, and personality to everything she does."

Lyles, the 2024 Olympic 100m gold medalist, made the list in the "Innovators" category along with Knight, who won her second hockey gold in her final Olympics in Milan.

"In many ways, (Lyles is) redefining strength for a new generation through openly talking about his experiences with mental health, while also being expressive and unapologetically himself," fashion designer Willy Chavarria wrote. "That idea connects deeply to my work as a designer. I’m always thinking about how clothing can amplify that energy, how it can honor a person’s story rather than compete with it. Noah has that rare quality where he’s not simply running races, he’s shifting perception. He brings together style, discipline, and emotion in a way that feels powerful and necessary, and that’s incredibly inspiring to witness."

Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai wrote that Knight's "legacy extends far beyond the record books."

"A critical voice in the U.S. Women’s National Team’s fight for fair pay, Hilary advocated for better wages, investment in girls’ programs, and greater visibility for women’s teams," she wrote. "She helped build the Professional Women’s Hockey League from the ground up—and ensured the road will be easier for the next generation. In the final at this year’s Olympics, the U.S. team trailed Canada 1-0 late in the third period. With barely two minutes remaining, Hilary scored a goal and tied up the game, paving the way for her team’s victory in overtime. Of course she did. That is what Hilary has always done. She shows up, she fights for what matters, and when the moment comes, she is ready."

Scheffler, a 2024 Olympic champion in golf, made the list in the "Titans" category.

Olympians and Paralympians on Time100 lists, counting only athletes who competed in the Games before being listed:

2025 -- Simone Biles, Napheesa Collier, Leon Marchand, Breanna Stewart, Serena Williams
2024 — A'ja Wilson
2023 -- Brittney Griner, Lionel Messi, Mikaela Shiffrin, Iga Swiatek
2022 -- Nathan Chen, Eileen Gu, Alex Morgan, Rafael Nadal, Candace Parker, Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn, Peng Shuai
2021 -- Simone Biles, Allyson Felix, Suni Lee, Naomi Osaka
2020 -- Allyson Felix,Maya Moore, Megan Rapinoe, Dwyane Wade
2019 -- LeBron James, Alex Morgan, Mo Salah, Caster Semenya
2018 — Kevin Durant, Roger Federer, Chloe Kim, Adam Rippon
2017 — Simone Biles, LeBron James, Neymar
2016 — Usain Bolt, Caitlyn Jenner, Katie Ledecky, Sania Mirza, Ronda Rousey
2015 — Abby Wambach
2014 —Cristiano Ronaldo, Serena Williams
2013 —LeBron James, Li Na, Lindsey Vonn
2012 — Novak Djokovic, Lionel Messi, Oscar Pistorius
2011 — Lionel Messi
2010 — Yuna Kim, Serena Williams
2009 — Rafael Nadal
2008 — Andre Agassi,Lance Armstrong,Oscar Pistorius
2007 —Roger Federer, Chien Ming-Wang
2006 — Joey****Cheek, Steve Nash
2005 —LeBron James
2004 —Lance Armstrong, Paula Radcliffe, Yao Ming
2000 (20th Century) —Muhammad Ali

Alysa Liu appears in Laufey ‘Madwoman’ music video

Alysa Liu skated to a Laufey song at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

• Nick Zaccardi,