Women’s Sport Week 2017

posted in: News | 0

19th-25th June marks this year’s national Women’s Sport Week, championed by UK charity Women In Sport.

Women’s Sport Week raises the profile of women in sport throughout the UK and also strives for equality for female players both in and outside of sport. We wanted to celebrate the week by sharing just some of our favourite UK female athletes and some of their achievements. #WSW2017

1) Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, DBE

During her inspirational sporting career, Jessica Ennis-Hill won nine medals including one Olympic gold. She is a third-time world champion and is still currently the British national record holder for the heptathlon. In 2016, she was made a Dame following on from her CBE which she was awarded in 2013. She recently retired from sport and returned to her home town of Sheffield, but she still takes part in numerous sporting events and activities. She even has her own running festival called Vitality Move.

2) Laura Kenny, CBE

At the young age of 25, Laura has already won 29 medals including four Olympic gold medals for cycling on both track and road. In 2016 she was named as Harper’s Bazaar’s woman of the year because of her outstanding achievement and contribution to women’s sport.

Laura and her husband Jason Kenny (also a Team GB cyclist) are currently expecting their first child. Although Laura promised to take time off of cycling in the baby’s first years, she is not giving up on cycling. Laura still plans to compete in the next Olympics – Tokyo 2020. She is far from finished!

3) Nicola Adams, MBE

Nicola is the first woman to win an Olympic boxing title. She has 12 medals including two Olympic golds. She has also won the World, European and Commonwealth titles, and is the only woman in history to do so. She was awarded her MBE in 2013 alongside Jessica Ennis-Hill. She is an ambassador for Fight for Peace which is an organisation aimed at helping young people stay away from crime as well as encouraging women in sports – especially boxing.

4) Katherine Grainger

Dame Katherine Jane Grainger is a British rower. At London 2012 she became a gold medallist, but before then she was already a four-time Olympic silver medallist and six-time world champion.

Aside from rowing, Grainger is also a board member of International Inspiration who encourage access to sport, play and physical exercise for low and middle income families with children. It is one of the few organisations linked to both the Olympic and Paralympic games. Most recently in April 2017, she was appointed chair of UK Sport.

5) Denise Lewis, OBE

This former hepthalon athlete has nine medals under her belt including an Olympic gold and bronze.

However, after retiring from athletics in 2005, she did not leave our screens. She has traded in her shot put, javelin and hurdles for the mic and took on television work. She is often seen on panels, commentating, interviewing and presenting sporting events but has also done non-sport related work as well. Outside of TV she promotes sports through her relationship with the Jaguar Academy of Sports who support and fund the next generation of athletes.

6) Tanni Grey-Thompson, DBE

Tanni Grey-Thompson was born with spina bifida and is a wheelchair user. However, this did not stop her achieving sporting success. Through her career in wheelchair racing she has won 16 Paralympic medals (11 gold, four silver and one bronze) and 13 World Championship medals (six gold, five silver and two bronze).

After retiring from racing in 2007, Tanni has continued to be involved in sport and physical activity. She is a Board Member of many organisations including the London Marathon, the Sportsaid Foundation, Transport for London, the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and Join In to name a few.

In March 2010, she was appointed Baroness Grey-Thompson and is a member of the house of Lords. This position allows her to promote sports for everyone and increase accessibility for people and children with disabilities.

7) Kelly Smith, MBE

Smith is retired footballer most known for playing with Arsenal Ladies and for England. She was able to play in both America and UK and has appeared at over 100 international games for the England women’s national football team. She is England’s record goal scorer with 46 goals and was awarded an MBE in 2008. More recently she was awarded with the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Lifetime Achievement award for all her efforts throughout the years.