IWD: Celebrating Australia’s 10 most influential women in sport
Let’s celebrate Australia’s most influential women in sport this International Women’s Day, with athletes from swimming and football making the top 10. SEE WHO WAS NAMED NO. 1
READING LEVEL: GREEN
Australia’s top 10 most influential women in sport have been named as part of International Women’s Day.
As part of News Corp’s Power 100 list, the ranking recognises female athletes and other key figures of Australian sport who stand up for important issues and inspire young athletes with their outstanding performance.
Here are the top 10 most powerful women in Australian sport.
1. Mary Fowler
Matildas star
Mary Fowler has stunned Australia over the past 12 months as one of the brightest stars of the Matildas’ World Cup campaign, so it’s only fitting that she has been named the most influential woman in sport.
A country girl, Fowler’s rise to stardom has inspired young athletes across the country and her football skills have become admired across the world.
Her ability to turn a game, as she did during the World Cup, has seen Fowler emerge as the face of the Matildas in an Olympic year where skipper, and last year’s Power 100 No. 1 Sam Kerr, will be sidelined with a knee injury. The fact Fowler is leading a campaign with global sportswear giants Adidas proves women and girls from all over world look up to her.
She has also struck a deal with skincare brand L’Oreal. Despite being the new face of the iconic beauty brand, Fowler was firmly focused on attitude more than appearance when taking up the position as a brand ambassador.
She said L’Oreal’s tagline, “Because You’re Worth It” had a special meaning to her.
“I think being ‘worth it’ to me is, on a personal level, being able to look at the opportunities that I get and feel that I’m deserving of them,” Fowler said.
“Confidence, to me, is believing in yourself. It’s not thinking that you have to be perfect in the way that you look or in your abilities or the way that you do your work – you’re not going to be able to do everything perfect – and it’s accepting that there’s beauty in just being you.”
2. Emma McKeon
Olympic swimmer
As Australia’s most successful Olympic athlete, Emma McKeon will head to Paris looking to add to her career tally of 11 medals, including five gold. Named as the Young Australian of the Year in January, McKeon is a down-to-earth swimming champion who gets a lot of attention from corporate sponsors and works as the face of sporting and tourism companies, as well as UNICEF.
McKeon’s big challenge in 2024 will be to balance public and sponsor commitments with her training schedule, a tricky juggling act in a year that will determine her ultimate sporting legacy as she fights to defend her four Olympic gold medals won in Tokyo against the world’s best.
3. Anika Wells
Federal Minister for Sport
Anika Wells has been reshaping Australian sport over the last 12 months, to make sure athletes have fairer opportunities in netball, rugby and swimming. With full control of the Federal Government annual sports budget and a key voice in organising the Brisbane 2032 Olympics – every decision made by Wells right now will have a lasting impact for Australia’s next Olympic legacy.
4. Cate Campbell
Swimmer, AOC board
Cate Campbell has become a vocal campaigner for women’s rights in sport after leading the athlete delegation on transgender policy in world swimming. She is also a multiple Olympic gold medallist looking to achieve a record fifth Games selection later this year and serves on the AOC board. Once she retires from swimming, Campbell will continue to have a huge influence in driving more support for our Olympic athletes.
5. Siobhan McKenna
Chair Foxtel Group
One of the most powerful women in Australian media, McKenna is the chair of Foxtel and Fox Sports, as well as CEO of Broadcasting at News Corp Australia. She has been responsible for negotiating major TV deals for Fox Sports across every major sport and is well respected in the sporting and business worlds.
6. Ariarne Titmus
Olympic swimmer
A reigning two-time Olympic champion, Ariarne Titmus is one of the best-known faces of the Paris Olympic Games and the Australian swim team. She is a down-to-earth yet tenacious competitor loved by Aussies, making her an influence in her sport and the wider society.
7. Katie Page
Harvey Norman CEO
The company Katie Page runs, Harvey Norman, has funded initiatives across lots of different sports and has sponsored the likes of Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus and surfing star Sally Fitzgibbons. Page has also helped to increase female participation in horse racing with initiatives to encourage more horses owned by women.
8. Gina Rinehart
Executive Chair, Hancock Prospecting
As the richest woman in Australia, Gina Rinehart directly funds more than a quarter of the Olympic team, including several of the most likely medallists in Paris. Without her support, it’s unlikely our top swimmers, rowers and beach volleyballers – just to name a few – would be able to devote their time fully to representing Australia at the Games.
9. Sam Kerr
Matildas star
Australian women’s football team captain, Sam Kerr led her country to a stunning World Cup semi-final last year as Matildas mania swept Australia. Kerr ranked number one in last year’s list but moved down in this year’s rankings due to a knee injury likely to keep her out of the Olympics in 2024.
10. Anna Meares
Chef de Mission, Australian 2024 Paris Olympic team
The leader of Australia’s Olympic team headed to Paris this year, Meares is a gold medallist and inspiring leader who will do everything in her power to ensure Australian athletes have the best opportunity to win gold medals in Paris.
POLL
GLOSSARY
- influential: important, very well respected by others
- iconic: very famous or popular and representing a particular way of being
- brand ambassador: a celebrity that represents a company and its products
- delegation: a group of people chosen to represent something, in this instance, athletes
- transgender: when a person’s gender does not match the way they feel about themselves
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Matildas waltzing to Paris Games
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QUICK QUIZ
1. Who was voted number one most influential woman in Australian sport?
2. Which non-athletes made it into the top 10?
3. How many swimmers were recognised in the top 10?
4. What is Emma McKeon known for?
5. What position on the list did Sam Kerr come?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. What’s the reason?
Why is there an International Women’s Day? Brainstorm as many reasons as you can think of.
Time: allow at least 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and Social Capability, Civics and Citizenship
2. Extension
Make your own Local Hero Power List. Think of at least three inspiring girls or women in your school, community or family and write a paragraph about each of them, why they are inspiring and why you chose them.
Time: allow at least 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and Social Capability
VCOP ACTIVITY
Read this!
A headline on an article – or a title on your text – should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.
Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.
Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience’s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?
Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.