Women in Sport awards: Elite athletes shine in glamour TV night
FEMALE sport is continuing to kick major goals with the broadcast of last night’s Women in Sport awards on Seven, marking the first time a female sporting awards ceremony has aired on Australian free-to-air TV.
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FEMALE sport is continuing to kick major goals with the broadcast of last night’s Women in Sport awards on Seven marking the first time a female sporting awards ceremony has aired on Australian free-to-air TV.
Past, present and future female champions were honoured at the glamorous affair, which was held by Women’s Health magazine and included a line-up of some of the nation’s best female athletes.
Olympic swimmer Cate Campbell took out two awards including the big award of the night, the Women’s Health Sportswoman of The Year and the Comeback of The Year.
She said while women had made serious gains in achieving equality in the sporting world, they still struggled to match the opportunities available to men post-career.
“There is still some work to be done because female achievements are forgotten or dismissed a lot more quickly than men,” Campbell said.
“Men can seem to rest on the laurels of their performances a lot more than females can, which frustrates me a lot.
“As a female you have to be very attractive to have a career in media whereas there doesn’t seem to be that standard for men.
“Women have to prove they can achieve at the highest level again and again to cement themselves in sporting folklore and to be able to get airtime.”
Matildas player Samantha Kerr won the Leadership Legend award. Boxer Skye Nicolson took out the Outstanding Woman In Sport award.
Meanwhile, cricketer Alex Blackwell said she relished the opportunity to walk the red carpet second to the WAGs.
“At the Allan Border medal, female players are normally third in line behind the male players and then the WAGs, so this is an event where the female athletes are front and centre, which I think is fantastic,” she said.
Netballer Laura Geitz said the historic broadcast was a game changer.