07/09/2026
Crazy to think that while I can’t guarantee hitting a certain number on Sunday
I can guarantee the conversation arriving at my appearance before it does my ability
And it’s something almost every woman in sport knows all too well
A male athlete can break records, win medals, dominate their sport, and the conversation stays centred on performance
Whereas a female athlete can do all of the above, her somehow the conversation still finds its way back to her appearance
Almost as if her achievements become secondary
Considering sport is built around performance and what your body can do, you’d think the conversation would be about the training, discipline, and dedication it took to get there
But NOPE 🙅🏼♀️
It still somehow comes down to what you look like while you’re doing it
And before anyone says, “It’s not that common”, just ask any woman in sport
From grassroots level right right through to the biggest stages in the world, most of us have experienced it
When I competed in June, I’d comments calling me a man, saying I was on steroids, comparing me to a wrestler, and even referring to me as a “female land mammal”
Sure, they might only be words, but words can hurt
And I don’t think people realise the impact those comments can have on the athlete receiving them
The most frustrating part is that years of training, sacrifice, discipline, setbacks, injuries, early mornings, and relentless hard work can be reduced to a conversation about how a woman does or doesn’t look
And unfortunately, I don’t think the scrutiny of women’s bodies in sport is disappearing anytime soon
There will always be opinions about our shape, size, weight, muscle mass, and appearance
Which is exactly why I stand so firmly in what I believe
Because we can’t control what other people choose to say
We can choose to build strength, confidence and place more value on what our bodies are capable of than on the opinions of people who have never put in the work
We deserve to be recognised for what we can do, not judged by whether our appearance fits someone else’s expectations
Because ability should never have to compete with appearance for the spotlight💅🏻
