Vegan Athletes: How Elite Performers Fuel on Plants

The idea that elite athletic performance requires animal protein has been thoroughly dismantled — not by theory, but by the athletes themselves. From Formula 1 champions to ultramarathon legends, a growing number of world-class competitors fuel their training and competition entirely with plants. Here are their stories and what they eat.

Lewis Hamilton — Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton, seven-time Formula 1 World Champion and statistically one of the greatest racing drivers in history, went vegan in 2017. Since then, he has won four of his seven World Championships (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020). Hamilton has spoken extensively about how the switch improved his energy levels, recovery, and mental clarity.

Hamilton's motivation was initially ethical — he watched the documentary What the Health and decided to align his diet with his values around animal welfare and environmental sustainability. But the performance benefits followed. He has described feeling lighter, more energetic, and more focused during race weekends that demand peak cognitive and physical performance under extreme G-forces and heat.

What he eats: Hamilton has shared that his diet includes smoothie bowls with berries and plant protein for breakfast, rice and vegetable dishes with tofu or tempeh for lunch, and pasta with plant-based sauces for pre-race meals. He also invested in the vegan burger chain Neat Burger, putting his money behind plant-based food accessibility.

Novak Djokovic — Tennis

Novak Djokovic, who holds the record for the most Grand Slam singles titles in men's tennis (24 as of 2024), has followed a plant-based diet since 2011. He credits the dietary change — which began with eliminating gluten and dairy before moving fully plant-based — with transforming him from a talented but physically fragile player into the most dominant force in tennis history.

In his book Serve to Win, Djokovic describes how his previous diet left him sluggish, prone to breathing difficulties during matches, and susceptible to mid-match collapses in hot conditions. After switching, his endurance in five-set matches became legendary — he won multiple Grand Slam finals that went the distance, often outlasting younger opponents in grueling rallies lasting four or five hours.

What he eats: Djokovic's diet is centered on gluten-free grains (rice, quinoa, buckwheat), vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, and plant-based proteins. He eats a large breakfast of oatmeal with fruit, lunches of mixed vegetable dishes with legumes, and dinners of rice or quinoa with roasted vegetables and avocado. He avoids processed foods and emphasizes whole, nutrient-dense ingredients.

Venus Williams — Tennis

Venus Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist, adopted a raw vegan diet in 2011 after being diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune condition that causes fatigue, joint pain, and inflammation. She has credited the dietary change with managing her symptoms and allowing her to continue competing at the highest level well into her 30s and 40s.

Williams has described the transition as life-changing. The anti-inflammatory nature of a plant-based diet helped reduce the chronic inflammation driving her autoimmune symptoms. She was able to return to competitive tennis and reach two Grand Slam finals (2017 Australian Open and Wimbledon) at age 37 — an extraordinary achievement in a sport that typically favors youth.

What she eats: Williams follows a largely raw vegan approach heavy on smoothies, fresh juices, salads, and raw fruits and vegetables. She includes some cooked plant foods like rice and steamed vegetables, and supplements with plant-based protein powders for recovery.

Scott Jurek — Ultramarathon running

Scott Jurek is widely considered one of the greatest ultramarathon runners in history. He has been vegan since 1999 and won virtually every major ultramarathon during his competitive career: the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run (7 consecutive wins, 1999-2005), the Badwater Ultramarathon (135 miles through Death Valley in 130°F heat), the Spartathlon (153 miles from Athens to Sparta), and numerous other events.

In 2015, Jurek set the speed record for the Appalachian Trail, covering 2,189 miles in 46 days, 8 hours, and 7 minutes — entirely fueled by plant-based food. His book Eat and Run details how a vegan diet supports the extreme caloric demands (sometimes 8,000-10,000 calories per day) and recovery requirements of ultrarunning.

What he eats: Jurek's diet during training includes large quantities of whole grains, legumes (especially lentils and black beans), vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and avocados. During races, he eats potato-based burritos, rice balls with miso and dulse, and date-nut balls. His go-to recovery meal is a smoothie with plant protein, banana, berries, and ground flaxseed.

Patrik Baboumian — Strongman

Patrik Baboumian is a German-Armenian strongman competitor who went vegan in 2011 after being vegetarian for several years. In 2013, he set the world record in the yoke walk, carrying 555.2 kg (1,224 lbs) over 10 meters. He also holds records in the beer keg lift, the log lift, and front hold events.

Baboumian is perhaps the most powerful counter-example to the myth that plant-based diets cannot support strength and muscle mass. At a competition weight of approximately 130 kg (286 lbs), his physique and strength records directly challenge the assumption that animal protein is required for building and maintaining extreme muscle mass.

What he eats: Baboumian consumes roughly 5,000-6,000 calories daily during training. His diet is built around soy products (tofu, tempeh, soy milk), legumes, whole grains, nuts and nut butters, seitan, and substantial amounts of fruits and vegetables. He uses pea and rice protein supplements to hit his protein targets of approximately 2g per kg of body weight. His favorite post-training meal is a large bowl of lentil stew with bread.

Fiona Oakes — Marathon running

Fiona Oakes is a British marathon runner who holds four Guinness World Records, including fastest female to run a marathon on all seven continents plus the North Pole. She has been vegan since age six — making her one of the longest-practicing vegan athletes in competitive sports. She runs these extreme events despite having had her right kneecap removed at age 17 due to a rare bone disease.

Oakes runs not for personal glory but to raise awareness for animal rights — she founded Tower Hill Stables Animal Sanctuary, which houses over 450 rescued animals. She trains while simultaneously managing the sanctuary, waking at 4 AM daily for farm chores before running 100+ miles per week.

What she eats: Oakes keeps her diet simple and whole-food based: porridge with fruit and seeds for breakfast, sandwiches with hummus and vegetables for lunch, and large portions of rice or pasta with vegetable curries or stews for dinner. She emphasizes that she doesn't use expensive supplements or special products — just basic, affordable plant foods in adequate quantities.

What the science says about plant-based athletic performance

A 2019 position paper by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics confirmed that appropriately planned vegetarian and vegan diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases — and are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including for athletes.

Research from the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (2021) found no difference in strength or endurance performance between plant-based and omnivore athletes when protein intake was matched. The key is total protein quantity and quality, not the source. With proper attention to protein combining and adequate caloric intake, plant-based athletes can meet all performance requirements.

For detailed guidance on building muscle and hitting protein targets on a vegan diet, see our How to Build Muscle on a Vegan Diet guide. For information on supplementation for athletes, check our Vegan Supplements: Which Ones You Actually Need article.