Further Magazine Issue #2

women in sports

front and centre

Medals and motherhood Paralympic swimmer

Becky Redfern

on making a splash in 2022

“ New Zealand is the one to beat”

says England Cricket World Cup winner

Beyond the body

The psychological battle female athletes are facing

Contents

4

5

Roundup

Ones to watch

Catch up on the latest sports news this month

6

The record-breaking female jockeys we’re backing for 2022

Becky Redfern

In conversation with the two-time Paralympic medalist and new mother on how she balances competition and childcare

14

11

8

Beyond the pitch Fallon Sherrock

Life after the final whistle

Reading, watching and listening to women’s sport

First woman to beat a man in the Darts World Championships

Meet the women who made the switch in their careers from competing to coaching

Invisible struggle The battle with mental health that sportswomen face

28

29

Katie Farley

In my kit bag

Chatting with the Team GB Canoe Polo captain

Team GB cyclist Ella Barnwell reveals her sporting essentials

24 Lydia Greenway

On England’s innings at the World Cup, her 13 year career and life as a coach

Back cover image: Jonathon Borba/Unsplash

20

School of Journalism, Media and Culture, 2 Central Square, Cardiff, CF10 1FS

Community

Image: Imagecomms

Editor // Emma Blackmore Production Editor // Hannah Watkin Shubhangi Dua // David Rogers Olivia Garrett // Sam Cross

Content

Editor // Megan Gaen Production Editor // Craig Strachan Bláthnaid Chennell // Tenielle Jordison Siân Hopkins // Ashvin Tiwana

Craft Editor // Nikita Achanta Production Editor // Emily Whitehouse Millicent Machell// Adam England Abby Allen // James Skeldon

with thanks to Lowri Parry // Imagecomms Shawn Miller // Alex Milsom Team Bhavani // John Mathew Summus Sports // Victoria Johnston David McBay // Ella Barnwell Rachel Draper

We care about the planet and ask that you recycle this magazine when you have finished enjoying it. cardiffjournalism.co.uk/further @further_mag

Happy International Women’s Day!

We bring you the second issue of Further magazine on a day when we celebrate women’s successes and call for change. This year’s theme is #BreakTheBias, which is exactly what Further stands for.

Women and sport is a key part of International Women’s Day. This year they have set out their mission: “To celebrate women athletes and applaud when equality is achieved in pay, sponsorship and visibility.” In this edition, we give our opinion on how sportswomen having more prominence in the public eye is important to inspire future generations of athletes.

In the lead up to Mother’s Day in the UK, we speak to Rebecca Redfern, two-time Paralympic silver medallist and mother, about how she manages competition and childcare. Plus, we look at life after competing as we interview professional women in coaching including ex-England cricketer Lydia Greenway.

We also recognise the significant moments in women’s sports in the last century to mark Women’s History Month in the USA. From female firsts to sexist bans, sportswomen have experienced a number of highs and lows, but yet women’s sport continues to thrive.

We hope you will join us in the celebration of women’s successes in sport and raise awareness of the ongoing issues they face. In the words of Serena Williams, “Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another.

We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.”

- Further Editorial Team

Roundup

Images: Lowri Parry

RAISED TO EMPOWER

For two weeks, the statues were placed by Adidas to push for better female representation

BY TENIELLE JORDISON In mid-February, eight statues of notable sportswomen appeared on London’s South Bank.

The statues, which stood boldly in red, blue, and green by Tower Bridge, were placed by the sports brand Adidas.

Among the women on these podiums were The statues were of: footballers, basketballers, and dancers, many of whom are Vivianne Miedema Arsenal footballer also advocates and activists.

Eniola Aluko The statues were crafted Footballer and commentator through a 3D scan of the Francesca Brown individuals, before being Footballer and CEO of Goals4Girls made from plastics recycled Ellie Goldstein, from waste in the sea.

Dancer and model Adidas said they hope Emily Scarratt the statues would “inspire Rugby player the next generation of Tanya Compas changemakers.”

Youth worker and LGBTQ+ activist The sports brand Asma Elbadawi recognised that only 4% Basketballer, poet, and activist of London’s statues are of Sherrie Silver women. Statues of men Dancer, choreographer, and U.N. advocate account for 21%.

Play along with the Women’s Cricket World Cup

U.S. women’s national soccer team win the fight for equal pay

The ICC have launched a new fantasy game for cricket fans around the world to build their dream team

After a six-year legal battle, the team will receive equal pay and $22 million in damages

BY MEGAN GAEN

BY BLÁTHNAID CHENNELL

There’s no rest for the wicket, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 began on 4 March. But it’s not just the teams who are competing, as fans are playing along at home thanks to the new fantasy game.

The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Season Long 2022 hosted by Dream 11 allows fans to make their best side from the competing nations.

Gamers get 100 credits each to select their 11 player squad.

However, they can only choose a maximum of seven players from one team.

The team must include one wicket-keeper, three to six batters, one to four all-rounders, and three to six bowlers. Also, a captain and vice-captain must be nominated, whose points will be doubled and multiplied by 1.5 times respectively.

Go to https://icc.dream11.com/icc-season/home to start building your dream team.

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The U.S. women’s soccer team’s fight for equal pay has come to an end after a six-year legal battle with U.S. Soccer.

The settlement will see $22 million split between the players, plus a fund of $2 million to help players in their post-soccer careers. U.S. Soccer has also pledged equal pay in both the men’s and women’s teams across all competitions, including the World Cup. In a joint statement, U.S. Soccer and USWNT said, “We will have resolved our longstanding dispute over equal pay and proudly stand together in a shared commitment to advancing equality in soccer.” The five-time Olympic gold medallist team initially sought $66 million after all 28 team members filed a discrimination lawsuit in 2019, but this was dismissed in court in May 2020, resulting in the appeal.

Ones to watch

Hitting the Ground Running The female jockeys set to dominate 2022

Hitting the ground running Words by Millicent Machell

Image: Lily Banse/Unsplash

Less than 15% of licensed professional jockeys are women, according to a 2021 study from the University of Liverpool. This is a jarring statistic, not least since there is no evidence to suggest that female jockeys suffer from any handicap when competing against men. Thankfully, things are changing. A small group of female jockeys at the elite levels of the sport are making strides in the right direction with their record-breaking racing and inspiring the next generation of equestrian.

Rachael Blackmore

Hollie Doyle

Bryony Frost

Hayley Turner

The Irish jockey became the first woman ever to win the Grand National in 2021. She also saw groundbreaking success with six victories at the Cheltenham Festival, becoming the first woman to be leading jockey at the festival. We are excited to see if she will be able to replicate her success this month.

In 2019, Frost became the first female jockey to win a Grade 1 race at Cheltenham. Her 2021/22 season began well with two more successes at the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.

However, Frost’s harassment case against Robbie Dunne last year attracted a lot of media attention and started conversations around culture within the weighing room. Hopefully, we will be able to focus on her riding victories in 2022.

Doyle had a victorious 2021, taking the Goodwood Cup and breaking her own record for most wins of a British female jockey with 152 winners.

She did have some setbacks though, such as the seven-day racing ban for reckless riding that cost her the Prix du Cadran. But this year seems to be looking positive with 27 wins so far.

Turner’s illustrious career saw her become the first woman to ride 100 UK flat race winners during a calendar year in 2008. She had another brilliant year in 2012, riding 92 wins. She announced her retirement in 2015 but was quickly rerurned receiving her first Ascot win in 2019. At 39, Turner is heading to the International Jockeys Challenge at the end of this month and looking forward to big 2022.

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Culture

What We’re...

Watching...

Freeze: Skating on the Edge

Image: Blast! Films

The BBC released a documentary following the journey of Team GB’s ice dancers including Eleanor Hayes [above] in the lead-up to the recent Winter Olympics.

It follows the team after they struggled to get up to speed after Covid-19 disrupted their training schedule. All episodes are streaming now on BBC iPlayer.

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Beyond the Boundary: ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Australia 2020 Reflecting on the final between New Zealand and Australia in the T20 World cup in Melbourne, this documentary shows an in-depth build up to the tournament and its epic conclusion. It includes interviews with the players, coaches and fans of the respective nations. Available to stream on Netflix.

A League of Their Own The 1992 film is based on the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, formed during the Second World War. It follows the story of two sisters drafted into a professional baseball league, and the manager tackling the prejudices against women in sport in the 1940s. Available for £2.49 on YouTube, Amazon or Apple TV or in Odeon Cinemas on 8 March for its 30th anniversary.

Culture

Reading...

Listening To...

Bhavani Devi [below, right] recently competed in the International Fencing Federation World Cup in January and was the first woman in India to qualify for fencing in the Olympics. Her inspiring biography follows her journey from a childhood hobby using bamboo sticks, to training with electric equipment and qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Available at https://www. bhavanidevi.com/biography.

Women in Sports: Fearless Athletes Who Played to Win

by Rachel Ignotofsky

Laughter Permitted with Julie Foudy

Laughter Permitted is a sports podcast brought to you by ESPN on Spotify. Hosted by ex-US football captain Julie Foudy, the series has had six seasons, featuring interviews with powerful women in sport.

Expect laughs, sport politics, and an insight into the personal lives of athletes like Simone Biles and Venus Williams. Available on Spotify.

5 Minutes On - Mercedes Gleitze

The BBC Sounds series 5 Minutes On presents the story of pioneering swimmer Mercedes Gleitze, the first British woman to swim the Channel in 1927. The recent episode highlights Gleitze’s achievements, ahead of the upcoming film Vindication Swim depicting her story.

Available now on BBC Sounds.

An inspiring read for any aspiring athlete. This book highlights successful women from the world of sport and presents them for younger readers to enjoy. From mountaineer Junko Tabei, to tennis GAW TV (Grown Ass Women) champion Billie Jean King, there are plenty of legends to inspire the with Mickie James, Lisa Marie Varon and Valerie Wyndham next generation of sportswomen. Available to buy from Amazon, Hosted by professional wrestlers, GAW TV is a show for strong, Waterstones, and other book retailers. opinionated women who aren’t afraid to embrace their femininity.

The Greatest poem by Amanda Gorman Special guests feature in every episode and speak their unfiltered At the 2021 InStyle Awards, Amanda Gorman [below] performed truths while covering a range of topics, like professional wrestling, her poem The Greatest, honouring gymnastics legend Simone Biles, current events, and relationships. Available on YouTube. who was presented with the Original Award that night. The poem, consisting of 21 lines, honours the gymnast’s legacy as the ‘Greatest of All Time’. Available on YouTube.

Images L-R: Amazon; Shawn Miller / Library of Congress; Bhavani Devi

Bhavani Devi’s biography

Left to right: Women in Sports by Rachel Ignotofsky; Amanda Gotrman; Bhavani Devi

Sky Brown,

Who We’re SKATEBOARDER Following (YouTube:

Sky & Ocean)

327k subscribers

Tara Davis,

Jess Breach,

ATHLETICS

RUGBY UNION

(Instagram:

(TikTok:

@_taarra_)

@jessicabreach)

348k followers

2.57k followers

Words by Bláthnaid Chennell, Megan Gaen, Siân Hopkins, Tenielle Jordison, Craig Strachan, Ashvin Tiwana

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Commentary box

Where were sportswomen when I needed them?

By Megan gaen

I

10 / Further

every week and has live coverage of the Women’s FA Cup. In fact, the Women’s FA Cup final between Chelsea and Arsenal in December 2021 was watched by 1.3 million people. The highest peak for a women’s match was 2.2 million viewers for the 2019 FA Cup final, when Manchester City beat West Ham 3-0. In comparison, the 2021 men’s FA Cup final had an audience of 9.1 million. However, the men’s FA Cup final has been broadcast since 1938, so the event has had this exposure for a long time. Therefore, I think it is impressive that the women’s game’s viewership has grown so significantly in a short space of time; it was first televised in 2018. The 2021 women’s final got 25% of the 2021 men’s final’s viewing figures, which after only three years on mainstream TV channels is incredible. Events like these continuing to get coverage on major TV channels in the primetime slots is vital for the visibility of the women’s games and the athletes.

“

There is a sport for everyone to enjoy, as a player, coach, referee or fan

Many young girls do not feel they belong in sport. This is something that needs to change. There is a sport for everyone to enjoy, as a player, coach, referee or fan, which needs to be promoted. Role models are the key to breaking this stigma for young girls and encouraging them to continue playing in the games they love. I am grateful to those young sportswomen for putting themselves out there and showing young women that there is not just a place for them in sport but also a place to be successful in sport.

Images: Shubhangi Dua | Hero Images/Adobe Stock

n recent years, the number of women’s sports in the public arena has increased. We can now all see sportswomen at the front and centre of sports coverage, journalism, and social media. As a woman who’s always been interested in sports, I’m glad this is happening now, but a part of me wishes it happened when I was younger. It would’ve been incredible to have seen the likes of Emma Raducanu, Sky Brown, and Kirsty Muir when I was younger to keep me dreaming of a sports career.

Having relatable role models is essential to keeping inspiration alive, particularly for younger generations, but for girls, it is crucial. A 2021 report from Women in Sport reveals that 80% of girls feel they do not belong in sport. The statistic that, though shocking, demonstrates the lack of representation women in sport have in the media. Women should have as much of a place in sport as their male counterparts.

This is why having more female role models, especially teenage sportswomen, is essential to inspiring more girls to stick at sports and aim to be successful.

This is one reason I am grateful for social media. An increasing number of athletes share their lives with their followers and show their reality, from training and competing to injuries and setbacks. This is the way to engage with younger generations on their own turf.

However, it is also how an athlete can inspire young girls and make them think, ‘I want to be like her’ and ‘I can do it.’ I wish I had that when I needed it.

I am also glad to see more sportswomen in the mainstream media.

Yes, there is still work to be done for total equality within male-dominated sports, but progress is still being made.

For example, the BBC broadcasts the Women’s Super League football game

Young women finally have access to the sports role models I never had but so desperately wanted

Podium

Fallon Sherrock Queen of the Palace

She faced hate while balancing her career, motherhood, and illness, but she didn’t let these challenges get in the way of her making history for women in darts

Words by Tenielle Jordison

O

Illustration: Shubhangi Dua

n 17 December 2019, the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) witnessed a woman beat a man in the World Championships for the first time. Known as the ‘Queen of the Palace’, 25-year-old Fallon Sherrock made darts history.

Sherrock gained this nickname after the venue that hosted the event, Alexandra Palace in London, where she beat Ted Evetts 3-2 in the first round of the match. She followed this up with another defeat, this time of Mensur Suljović 3-1 in the second round.

Sherrock was always set to be a darts champion, having grown up with parents who often played the sport for fun.

At just 17, Sherrock started competing at county youth level, playing for the Bedford Darts Organisation (BDO). During this time, she represented the England Youth girls singles division in 2011 during the World Darts

Federation (WDF). Sherrock later turned down the opportunity of going to university after completing her A-Levels to pursue darts as her full-time occupation.

The Milton Keynes-born darts player was already a success in the early years of her professional career. She won both the Girls World Masters and the Women’s Jersey Open in 2012. She took home the crown in the Women’s British Classic in the following year.

It was in 2014 that Sherrock made her debut at the BDO Championship. She made it to the quarter-final but was defeated

by Anastasia Dobromyslova, the reigning champion at the time. Sherrock came back a year later in the BDO Ladies World Championship, this time beating Dobromyslova and landing a place in the final. Even though she then lost 3-1 to Lisa Ashton, Sherrock proved her skill by achieving six 180s during the round.

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Image: Joachim Schnurle/Unsplash

Podium

Turning hate into motivation

Sherrock’s career hasn’t been without struggle. She received frequent backlash for being a woman in a widely maledominated sport.

In 2014, Sherrock developed an undiagnosed kidney problem shortly after becoming a mother to her first-born son, Rory. The medical mystery left her face bloated, but Sherrock was determined to continue competing in darts while balancing motherhood and her illness.

Online haters did not recognise how admirable this was, and their comments centred around her appearance and the fact that she was a woman competing against men rather than her incredible skills.

But these comments didn’t bring Sherrock down, they gave her motivation. She told The Guardian that this hate made her “a stronger person, and more determined.” The darts player didn’t think she could have made female sports history in 2019 if it wasn’t for the desire to prove the online comments wrong and show that she had a deserving place in darts. And she did exactly that.

This online criticism was not representative of the huge support out there for Sherrock.

Her 2019 victory was welcomed with an overjoyed crowd, followed by many celebratory tributes from the likes of Billie Jean King and Sarah Jessica Parker.

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Onwards and upwards

After her success at the PDC World Championship in 2019, Sherrock was preparing to compete all over the world in 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic halted her plans, and she spent the pandemic home-schooling her son and competing in online darts competitions.

She was back in front of the bullseye in 2021, marking another historic moment at the Grand Slam of Darts, where she became the first woman to reach the quarter-final.

Sherrock also competed at the PDC World Championship once again, where she lost to Steve Beaton 3-2.

The now 27-year-old has plenty of plans for 2022 as the PDC announced in early February there will be a new Women’s World Matchplay due to take place in July.

This will be the first televised PDC women’s tournament, and there will be a £25,000 prize fund and a place in the November Grand Slam of Darts up for grabs. This month will also be exciting for Sherrock, and her female peers as the PDC Women’s Series begins on 12 March and will run throughout the year until October.

Sherrock has had to juggle hate, illness, motherhood, and a pandemic during the last few years of her career, but she will not let anything stop her from being successful in the sport that she loves. The ‘Queen of the Palace’ continues to lead the way for women in darts.

PDC Women’s Series schedule 2022 Live streamed on www.pdc.tv 12 March Women’s Series 1-2 13 March Women’s Series 3-4 30 April Women’s Series 5-6 1 May Women’s Series 7-8 25 June Women’s Series 9-10 26 June Women’s Series 11-12 27 August Women’s Series 13-14 28 August Women’s Series 15-16 29 October Women’s Series 17-18 30 October Women’s Series 19-20

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Robbed

THEY WERE ROBBED!

Four unfair sporting losses

Words by Hannah Watkin

1

Surya Bonaly, Figure Skating

Images L-R: John Mathew Smith; Summus Sports

COMPETITIVE CAREER

French ice skater Surya Bonaly won the European Championship five times during her competitive career but was robbed of equal success at the World Championships and Olympic Games. An immensely talented figure skater, Bonaly brought innovation to the ice, but racist attitudes deemed her troublesome rather than talented. At her final Olympics in 1998, Surya rejected regulations by performing an illegal backflip. This act rightfully earned her the attention and support of audiences. However, she remains wrongfully robbed of having her talent recognised with a gold at the highest levels, which is a sporting loss far greater than the others on

2

Jade Jones, Taekwondo TOKYO 2020

Taekwondo is a cruel Olympic sport as a loss at the first stage means an instant end to a fighter’s Games.

Two-time Olympic Taekwondo champion Jade Jones [right] experienced a shock defeat in the first round of her Tokyo 2020 appearance against newcomer Kimia Alizadeh.

In a recent interview with the BBC, Jones referred to this moment as the ‘biggest low’ of her career, but she is now thankful for what it taught her.

this list.

3

After an amazing first end, a tense game led Sweden and

4

their opponents Team GB to an 11-11 draw in the semi-final’s

penalties, Chelsea were really unlucky here. They

tenth end. Unfortunately for defending champions Sweden,

scored the first and almost only goal of the game,

they lost the additional eleventh end to the future 2022

only for Birmingham City to equalise one minute into

champions, and then failed to make the podium at when

injury time. Chelsea scored first in extra time too, but

they lost their bronze medal match to Team Canada.

Birmingham equalised again and then went on to win

Sweden, Curling BEIJING 2022

Chelsea FC, Football 2012 FA WOMENS’ CUP FINAL

One of only two Women’s FA Cup finals to go to

the penalty shoot-out.

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Katherine’s marathon The organisers of the Boston Marathon wouldn’t

allow Katherine Switzer to run the race because of her gender. However, Switzer took matters into her own hands and ran the marathon anyway. Despite being assaulted during the race, she finished with a respectable time. Women were then banned from the marathon until 1972, when the Boston Marathon established a women’s race.

1973

195 8

Clearing the hurdles

194 9

Volleyball champions Soviet Union hosted the inaugural

Bobby Riggs, former number 1 ranked tennis player. He claimed that women’s tennis was so inferior to men’s that he, aged 55, could beat the top female players. But King won the match in straight sets (6–4, 6–3, 6–3) in front of a worldwide TV audience of 90 million people, and earned the winner-take-all prize of $100,000.

7 6 9 1

female formula 1 Maria Teresa de Filippis became the first

woman to race in Formula 1. A pioneer in the sport, she participated in five World Championship Grands Prix. No other woman raced in F1 for the next 15 years. At the ’58 French GP, the race director denied her involvement stating, “The only helmet that a woman should use is a hairdresser.”

Battle of the sexes Billie Jean King won the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ against

Women’s Volleyball World Championship, and the tournament would go on to become the oldest and most important of all international volleyball events hosted by the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball.

1931

banned from baseball American judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis

banned women from playing professional baseball. The jurist was upset that 17-year-old Jackie Mitchell, a girl, had struck out legends Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig during exhibition play.

Milestones in women’s sport Words by Nikita Achanta and Megan Gaen

192 2

2018

Australian victories

Australian Margaret Molesworth won the first Ladies Singles at the Australian Open. The first Women’s Doubles were won by Esna Boyd Robertson and Marjorie Mountain, also Australian.

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Tennis heroine Emma Raducanu won the US Open to

become the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since 1977. Aged 18, Raducanu is the youngest player to reach the final since Sharapova in 2006.

Perfect 10 Nadia Comăneci was the first person to score

Women in sport day The National Girls and Women in Sports

the first ever perfect 10 in gymnastics at the Olympics. She was only 14 when she achieved this accolade at the 1976 Summer Olympics Games in Montreal, and went on to score another six perfect 10s and earned three gold medals at the Games.

Day was created in the USA. Held annually every February, this day of observance is used to highlight the successes of female athletes, recognise female participation in sports, and honour the progress and struggle for gender equality in sports.

198

7

1976

world cup The FIFA Women’s World Cup kicked

1991

2007

2004

March is Women’s History Month in the USA, where the contributions of women to culture and society are recognised and remembered. Some of these historical events gave women a step forward in the world of sport and others hindered the progress of sportswomen, but all are important in the story of women’s sport.

2018

off in China for the first time, marking a huge moment in the women’s game. 12 nations competed in the tournament, but it was the USA who became the competitions’ first winners.

olympic wrestling Women’s Wrestling made its Olympic debut in Athens, with four weight categories: 48kg, 55kg, 63kg and 75kg.

Japan won medals in every category, including gold in the 55kg and 63kg weight divisions.

Wimbledon win Wimbledon became the last of the

major tennis tournaments to award equal prize money to men and women.

This meant that Venus Williams and Roger Federer both won £700,000 for becoming the singles champions.

2012 Golden ball The Ballon d’Or Féminin was introduced

and the inaugural Golden Ball was awarded to Ada Hegerberg of the Norwegian women’s national football team. The moment was, however, marred when the host DJ Martin Solveig asked her to twerk.

London olympics

The London 2012 Olympics marked a huge step for women’s sport, when every nation sent female athletes to compete. For the Arab states of Qatar and Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Sultanate of Brunei, this was the first time they had allowed women to participate in the Olympics.

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Q&A

Rolling into success With Image: David McBay

Katie Farley

Emma Blackmore dives into questions with the U21 Team GB canoe polo captain You were captain of the U21 Women’s team at the 2021 European Championships. Walk me through your training and preparation.

“Training depends on what season you are in. Over winter, I’m in the gym, aside from early morning lake sessions, but in the summer I compete outside. My weekly schedule would usually include three gym sessions, one or two cardiobased sessions, and then three or four boat sessions.”

What’s your advice for anyone who wants to start canoe polo but finds it daunting?

“I know some amazing women that paddle, but it’s a very testosterone -heavy.

I think the sport is starting to recognise that more, but it’s still a long way off. Go to your local canoe club and they’ll be more than happy to teach you the skills. Don’t be put off by the testosterone!”

Credit: David McBay

Early morning lake sessions must have been cold! How early are we talking?

“I would get to the lake at 6.30am and paddle for an hour and then go home, have a shower, eat breakfast and go to sixth form. I liked it in the morning because you watch the sunrise. The lake is a special place when you’re the only person on it.”

What do you wear when you’re playing?

“It depends if you play in a pool or outside. For a summer tournament, I’d wear a bikini, long sleeve rash vest, leggings or wetsuit trousers, water shoes and my spraydeck, helmet with face guard and buoyancy aid.”

When did you first learn to kayak?

“I have an outdoorsy family, so I’ve been paddling forever! But I joined the canoe club when I was 12. That’s when I first learned how to roll a kayak which is important for polo.”

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Why do you think women are put off playing canoe polo?

“It’s because it’s aggressive. And some girls like that, I like smashing into people sometimes! But you don’t need to be aggressive to play. From my perspective, you can be skillful and quick, and those make you a really good player. You’re not at a disadvantage.”

Farley, 21, making a splash at the 2021 European championships

Essential gear

ALWAYS PACKED 1

4

2

10 5

6

3

7

Images: Ella Barnwell

8

9

IN MY KIT BAG

1. Towel 2. Sliders and Specialized S-Works EXOS road shoes 3. Lazer helmet 4. Lynx bodywash and Sure Women anti-perspirant spray 5. GBR Water Bottle 6. Sports bra 7. Wahoo heart rate monitor, Beats headphones, chamois cream and Garmin bike computer 8. British Cycling skinsuit 9. Glasses, GBR short finger gloves and British Cycling socks 10. British Cycling kitbag

NEVER LEAVES HOME WITHOUT Vaseline MyProtein protein shake Soreen malt bread and snacks Shampoo and conditioner

with Ella Barnwell

Words by Emma Blackmore

Further spoke to eleven-time British track and road cycling champion Ella Barnwell about the contents of her kit bag ahead of the Track Nationals.

Image: S W Pixs

Barnwell wears two necklaces when cycling. One that has her name and one with two hearts. She said, “I have this thing where I cannot not wear them before each competition.”

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What’s on

What’s On

look ahead to the events in professional women’s sport starting from the 8-28 March 2022 12-13 March PDC Women’s series 1-4 Barnsley, UK

15-18 March Cheltenham Festival Horse Racing Cheltenham, UK

Image: Thomas Serer/Unsplash

18-20 March World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade, Serbia

18-20 March Short Track Speed Skating World Championships Montreal, Canada

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18-27 March

Shooting Sports European Championships Hamar, Norway

19-27 March Women’s Curling World Championships Prince George, Canada

20 March

British Basketball League Trophy Finals 2022 Glasgow, UK

25 March

UEFA Women’s Futsal European Championships Porto, Portugal

26 March-30 April

Women’s Rugby 6 Nations 26 March- Scotland v England 26 March- Ireland v Wales 27 March- France v Italy

4-13 March

Winter Paralympic Games Beijing, China