Marjorie Jackson-Nelson honoured in new centre for women’s sport in Adelaide’s west
More than a decade ago, Marjorie Jackson-Nelson declined an offer to name Adelaide’s new hospital in her honour. Now, finally, there’s a building more fitting.
SA News
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When two-time Olympic gold medallist Marjorie Jackson-Nelson competed, women weren’t allowed to run more than 200m in the Games.
“Now look at them, they ran marathons – we’re not the weaker sex after all,” the former South Australian governor said.
A new centre for women’s sport – the first of its kind in Australia – will honour the 91-year-old two-time world record holder.
The Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Centre for Women’s Sport (MJNCFWS), which is now open for expressions of interest, is set to offer education, training and leadership opportunities to all women, in addition to gender equity programs for men and women alike.
However Sport SA’s CEO, Leah Cassidy, said its bid for $25m state government funding towards building a permanent home for the centre at Marleston outdoor netball courts has been rejected.
While Sport SA raises funding to build at the proposed location, the centre will operate from both the Sport SA West Beach office and Memorial Drive’s “The Drive”.
Despite government funding for the centre’s home being rejected, the state government did contribute $250,000 annually for four years for the centre’s program.
Ms Jackson-Nelson – who won two gold medals at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games and went on to win another three gold medals at the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver – said she is excited to be a part of the new sports centre that aims for positive outcomes for coaches, players, officials, administrators and board members across the entire sporting industry.
“I’m very, very honoured and proud … and quite thrilled for our young people, particularly now that I’ve got great-granddaughters”, she told The Advertiser.
“I was so impressed with the women and the girls who were so passionate about sport.”
In 2007, the then-Labor state government announced it would build a new major hospital to replace the RAH and name it after Ms Jackson-Nelson. However, that plan was dropped in 2009 when she declined.
Ms Jackson-Nelson said the sporting industry has “come a long way” since she was competing.
“Back then you couldn’t make a living … in the six weeks we went away for the Olympic Games, we had to go without wages.
“We had to buy our own shoes and starting blocks, nothing was given to us.”
The gold medallist remembers her first pair of running shoes – a second-hand pair of men’s shoes.
“They were too big, I had to stuff them with paper,” she said.
Just 24 per cent of CEOs across 63 national sporting organisations identify as women. While 40 per cent of participants in sport are female, women’s sport receives only 4 per cent of all sports media coverage.
The MJNCFWS will provide support from grassroots club to elite athletes, with plans to collaborate with local sporting organisations and clubs to increase participation and opportunities for women in all aspects of sport.
The centre invites expressions of interest from athletes.
The team will hand-pick candidates to join the centre and take part in services that will begin in July 2023.
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