The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Right to celebrate female role models
We celebrated International Women’s Day this week and I do think it is important to mark the occasion in sport and wider society.
There should be an ongoing push, throughout the year, to get girls active and interested in sport and I do believe initiatives like that help.
I am an optimist and feel that female participation in sport is on the rise.
My chosen field of curling is very equal and men don’t dominate as they do in other sporting arenas.
I like the fact that the TV coverage tends to be 50/50 and in Canada the viewing figures for many of the women’s competitions actually beat those of the men’s events.
Of course, many viewers in the United Kingdom got their first experience of curling on the box when Rhona Martin (now Howie) and her brilliant team won the gold medal for Great Britain at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.
That really did put curling on the map and it was wonderful that it was a women’s team that everyone was talking about.
I may be biased but I just think women’s sport can sometimes be more exciting to watch than men’s as often it can be more competitive.
On an occasion such as International Women’s Day, you do consider the amazing people who have inspired you as you have made your own way in your career.
For me, come to away.
The first is Dame Ennis-Hill.
I was privileged to be the Olympic Stadium two top athletes mind straight
Jessica
in in
London on the unforgettable night she won her gold medal in the heptathlon.
It was impossible to imagine the pressure she was under to win, with the whole of the UK willing her on.
Jess is still a winner now that she has retired from athletics. She has started a family and runs a personal training school online (jennisfitness.com). She is a fabulous role model.
My second choice is the great Anette Norberg, the inspirational Swedish curler.
What I loved about her when she played was that
she never showed any emotion at all, whether winning or losing. That was impressive, to be able to stay so focused.
She and her team won Olympic gold for Sweden in 2006 and 2010.
I was lucky enough to be competing alongside Anette in 2010, when she defended her title. That was pretty special.
Those are amazing women who deserve to be celebrated every day.
CALGARY BUBBLE
We are preparing the Calgary Bubble.
To explain, the World Championships – both
to
join
women’s and men’s – are taking part in the Canadian city over the next few months.
It is something of a rarity to have both competitions held in the same city so close together (men: March 18-25; women: April 30May 9).
All competitors, including us, will be part of the Covid-19 bubble and no spectators will be at the events, which is a shame.
We also have tournaments taking place in Calgary before the worlds so we are all looking forward to being in the bubble.
TOTTENHAM DINAMO ZAGREB 2 0
Harry Kane’s sensational season continued as his two goals put Tottenham on course for the Europa League quarter-finals as they beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 in last-16 first-leg last night.
The England captain is having one of his most productive campaigns and took his tally to 26 goals in 37 appearances, while also contributing 16 assists.
A strike in either half against the Croatians justified Jose Mourinho’s decision to select his main striker, despite the north London derby being just 72 hours away, and he equalled a club record of eight European goals in a single season set by Martin Chivers twice and Martin Peters.
He will surely break that if Spurs are to go on and win the competition, which Mourinho is targeting, though his display here might give him next week’s second leg in Zagreb off.
Spurs still have work to do in the Croatian capital, but the result here makes their task easier and the last eight is looming.
Dinamo arrived in north London on the back of an eight-game winning run and they were a clear step up from the standard of opposition Spurs have previously faced in this competition.
The night could have taken a different path had Mislav Orsic taken a golden chance presented to him in the opening minute. A wayward pass from Tanguy Ndombele set Orsic in the clear but once he got into the penalty area, his effort was tame and straight at Hugo Lloris.