Kate Thompson, Physical Education and Sport Subject Advisor

It’s International Women’s Day on 8 March – a chance to celebrate all the achievements of prominent women around the world. In this blog I look at some outstanding women from the sporting world, past and present, and highlight what more is needed for women to be truly equal in sport.

Ground-breaking women in sport

Serena and Venus Williams

Serena and Venus Williams have achieved remarkable success in the world of tennis. Between them, they have secured 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and 30 Grand Slam singles titles. 

Venus Williams, the elder of the two sisters, made history as the first unseeded tennis player to reach the U.S. Open final, where she finished as runner-up to Martina Hingis. Serena Williams holds an impressive record of 23 Grand Slam singles titles – more than any other male or female tennis player in the Open Era.

Together, the Williams sisters have earned numerous doubles accolades, including gold medals at the Sydney and Beijing Olympic Games. Their journey to success is compellingly depicted in the film King Richard, which provides an insightful look into their rise to prominence in the tennis world.

Mary Earps

Mary Earps, goalkeeper for the England women’s national football team (the Lionesses), was awarded the Golden Glove in 2023. She played a crucial role in making Nike reconsider their decision not to sell replicas of her goalkeeper jersey to fans. Earps has earned 52 caps for England and holds a degree in Information Management and Business Studies from Loughborough University.

Cathy Freeman 

Cathy Freeman became the first Aboriginal woman to represent Australia in athletics at the Olympic Games, making her debut in Barcelona in 1992. She was also the youngest member of Australia’s 4x100m relay team, which won gold at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand.

Sarina Wiegman 

Sarina Wiegman from the Netherlands has been the head coach of the England women's football team since 2021 and is widely recognized for leading the squad to victory in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022. Prior to her successful coaching career in both the Netherlands and the UK, she was a formidable player herself, earning 104 caps for the Netherlands. 

Gabby Logan 

Gabby Logan is a distinguished sports broadcaster, writer, and former international gymnast from Wales. She is best known for hosting major sporting events such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Rugby Six Nations, and the UEFA European Championship. Most recently, she was announced as one of the lead presenters on Match of the Day.

Achieving equality for women in sport

It’s clear from our examples that there have been significant achievements for women in sports recently. However, there is much to be done before we create a truly level playing field. 

Here are some of the areas where challenges still exists. The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is Accelerate Action. What do you think could be done in your school, or within your sport?

Increasing media coverage

Women’s sports have gained more media coverage in recent years but still receive less media coverage than their male counterparts. Increased media coverage of women’s sport can challenge stereotypes, attract new fans and inspires future generations. 

In our Cambridge National Sport Studies, unit R186, you’ll take a deep dive into the impact, both positive and negative, that media has – not only on which sports and teams you watch but also on the participation levels. 

• Did you know: Only 15% of all sports coverage across Europe is given to women. 75% of respondents do not feel the media does enough to promote women’s sports, according to a BBC study of British women in elite sports (Women Win, 2024). 

Greater investment 

Increased funding of women’s sports is crucial. This includes securing equal contract conditions, transparent recruitment processes, sponsorship and broadcasting deals. 

• Did you know: 64% of UK families believe local swimming pools, community sports and leisure centres need more support from the government (Better, 2022). 

Equal access policies 

It’s important that women and girls have equal access to sports facilities, coaching, and competitive opportunities. Advocating for legislation to promote gender equality in sports, such as equal pay and representation, is vital. International organisations such as UNESCO promote policies that close the pay gap and ensure equal access to sports. 

In our PE GCSE take a look at the topic area Engagement Patterns of different social groups, where you will use the data from NGBs to highlight participation rates in various sporting activities. 

• Did you know: The most disadvantaged 20% of schools dedicate 1 hour 33 minutes a week on average to PE. This is 15 minutes a week less than schools with the lowest levels of disadvantage (National Education Union, 2025). 

Social movements and education 

Implementing programs within schools and youth groups can raise awareness of gender bias and promote fair play. This in turn can help change society’s attitudes towards women in sports. Initiatives like This Girl Can and the Youth Sport Trust Girls Active campaign can empower women and girls, breaking down stereotypes and building self-esteem. 

As part of our PE A Level you’ll cover the impact of many socio-cultural factors, including class, gender and education, and how these affect participation in activity. 

• Did you know: For girls aged 8-18, the top three barriers to being active at school  are: I am not confident (39%), I don’t like other people watching me (39%) and having to be outside in bad weather (36%).
  

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About the author

Kate Thompson joined OCR in November 2021 having taught for 18 years at primary and secondary school level. Within that time she held various positions including Head of Department and School Sports Coordinator. Kate took 3 years out of teaching to work in South Africa at a University in their sports department and to manage the set-up of a Non-Government sports development project, working in the local township schools.