Vegan Athletes and Weakness?

This topic is completely unrelated to the course material, but I wanted to touch upon it anyways. I was browsing through the link that Dr. Johnson posted of "vegan athletes". As anyone should be, I was very shocked and impressed with the amount of muscle mass, combined with accomplishments, that these people had made. No doubt, I thought it such because of their diets and the lack of meat. However, this started me down another path of thought.

These people are considered somehow especially amazing because of the lack of animals in their diet. Now, I know that most of society considers animals to be an essential part of diet for protein and iron. However, I believe there is research that shows animals do not necessarily need to be consumed for such reasons. In fact, a dinner full of chick peas followed by a peanut butter dessert probably contains more iron than the average piece of steak. So why would we consider these people especially amazing because of diet?

I think this is because the "animal" in all of us subconsciously still views the consumption of animals as a form of dominance. By eating the other flesh, we are asserting that that species is weaker and has been "conquered" by us. Thus, people that don't eat the flesh should also be considered weaker. They are not as "strong" as we are. Not biologically, but maybe mentally?

This might all be way out there, but that's why I leave it up to you to decide. Do we consider vegan/vegetarian athletes to be weaker because of nutrition or because of the subconscious? And if we do it because of the subconscious, do you believe it can be overcome?