Women in sport have kicked butt in extraordinary ways this week. Here’s a quick recap in case you missed any of them:
First Female World Cup Referee
Stephanie Frappart made history this week at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar when she became the first woman to officiate a men’s World Cup match. The 38-year old French national was the fourth official in the Group C game between Mexico and Poland. She joins Japanese referee Yoshimi Yamashita and Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda as the three women who have been picked to officiate matches at this year’s World Cup.
The AFLW Best and Fairest
Ghangalu woman and Brisbane Lion midfielder, Ally Anderson was awarded this season’s AFLW best and fairest, making her the second Brisbane Lion to take the prize over the past two seasons, after teammate Emily Bates won earlier this year.
Anderson is just the second First Nations player to win the AFLW’s highest individual honour, after Dja Dja Wurrung woman Maddy Prespakis won two years ago.
The Jillaroos World Cup Win
The Jillaroos, Australia’s Women’s Rugby League team, won the World Cup, beating New Zealand’s Kiwi Ferns and securing their third consecutive championship in Manchester on Sunday.
The 54-4 victory proves Australia’s dominance of the women’s game on the international stage, with co-captain and Player of the Match, Ali Brigginshaw telling reporters after the game “All the people that said I was too old I’m still here and I’m going to play (at the 2025 World Cup) in France. We’re going to celebrate this one tonight.”
Lydia Ko wins biggest cheque in women’s golf history
New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko won the LPGA’s season-ending Tour Championship in Florida this week, clinching the biggest cheque in women’s golf history of $US2 million ($3 million). The win took her season earnings to a total of $US4,364,403 ($6.6 million). Ko, 25, was also awarded the player-of-the-year award.
“There was a lot of things on the line today,” she told reporters after her win. “I really wanted to play the best golf I can. I knew it would be a tough battle, especially with how tough the conditions were.”
Cricket Australia celebrates first annual ‘Women and Girls Week’
Cricket Australia and Cricket NSW have united to create the first ever ‘Women and Girls Week’, holding activities with female cricketers and delivering programs that will drive growth and participation in the sport.
According to Cricket NSW, the number of girls playing club cricket rose in the past twelve months, and is almost 25 per cent higher than pre-COVID numbers.
You can find out more about the activities and learn how to get involved here.