International Women's Day: 5 women who made history in sports

MANILA, Philippines – In the world of sports, women have historically taken a backseat to their male counterparts.

From smaller prize money to little to no media coverage, female athletes have been in a constant struggle for equality.

Albeit still far from the ideal, women in sports have come a long way.

As we celebrate International Women's Day, get to know five of the most iconic women in sports history:

  Kathrine Switzer. Photo from Getty Images

1. Kathrine Switzer

Nowadays, women are free to participate in marathons and fun runs. But that wasn't always the case.

The Boston Marathon in the United States was at first exclusive to male runners. It wasn't until 1972 that women were officially allowed to join the famed race.

But this might not have happened if it wasn't for Kathrine Switzer, who entered the competition in 1967, registering herself as "K.V. Switzer".

Despite efforts by then race official Jock Semple to rip off her numbers and eject her from the race, Switzer was able to finish the marathon.

Before Switzer, Roberta "Bobbi" Gibb also finished the marathon in 1966. Gibb was considered an unsactioned runner and did not have her own race numbers.

  Brandi Chastain. Photo from Sports Illustrated

2. Brandi Chastain

The US Men's Soccer Team might be a disaster, but its female counterpart is far from it.

In fact, the US Women's National Team (USWNT) is the most successful international team in women's soccer.

The US has won three Women's World Cup titles, including the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991.

But of all the goals scored by the USWNT, perhaps the most important one was Brandi Chastain's title-clinching penalty goal in the 1999 Women's World Cup.

After a 0-0 deadlock against China, the US went into a penalty shootout in the finals. US goalie Briana Scurry saved one of China's kicks and left the score tied at 4-4, with Chastain as the remaining kicker for the US.

She converted on the goal and won the US its second Women's World Cup championship.

  Lisa Leslie. Photo from ESPN

3. Lisa Leslie

Spudd Webb, Vince Carter, Zach Levine, Michael Jordan – all household names in the NBA's dunk history.

For the WNBA? It's Lisa Leslie, the first ever to dunk in an official WNBA game.

Playing for the LA Sparks, Leslie threw it down on July 30, 2002, and changed views on the WNBA forever.

Meanwhile, fellow LA Sparks player Candace Parker was the first woman to dunk in an NCAA game. She also dunked in the WNBA in 2008.

  Serena Williams. Photo from AP

4. Serena Williams

I don't have to tell you who Serena Williams is, because you probably already know.

With 23 grand slams and counting, she holds a very firm grip on the title of GOAT in women's tennis.

Williams' dominance in the sport is just outstanding. Facing challenges both on and off the court, the younger Williams sister is truly a force to be reckoned with.

At 37 years old, she is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.

  Midori Ito. Photo from ABC News

5. Midori Ito

Landing a triple axel in ice skating is a daunting task.

Japanese figure skater Midori Ito was the first woman to complete the stunt in a competition.

Ito first landed the triple axel in the NHK trophy in 1988 and did it again in the World Championships later that year.

She also became the first woman to land the triple axel in the Olympics in 1992.