Irish champions Deirdre Gogarty and Katie Taylor togetherPIC 42.ie Watching Katie Taylor power her way toanother beltat the weekend sent me back to Malissa Smith's excellent book on the history of women's boxing. And then onto other books hiding on my shelves, and a list of books to buy or … [Read more...]
Diana Nyad’s book on swimming, jelly-fish and surviving with a smile
PIC via Diana Nyad Facebook One of the first women I wrote about when starting this blog was American swimmer Diana Nyad. If you don???t know her, she???s the lady who decided at 60 years of age to swim the 166km (103mi) from Cuba to Florida. As you do. She???s written an inspiring book … [Read more...]
Do we need Title IX sports laws in Europe?
Lala (right) gets ready to pass the ball during a practice in Rocinha.Lianne Milton for NPR When I first heard about American legislation called Title IX , I didn???t immediately understand the links with sport. It says that any education agency receiving money from the government must … [Read more...]
Women’s fighting is having a moment
Women in sport have been having quite the moment in the sun. I know we try to stay positive here and focused on what can be done but I really am starting to feel something is changing. Firstly there was the global reaction to Holly Holm beating Ronda Rousey?? - don't worry I'm not going into all … [Read more...]
A novel about women’s soccer "When Girls Became Lions"
The novel (left) Valerie Gin (top right) and Jo Kadlecek (bottom right) When did you last read a sports-book where a woman was the main character? When did you last read a novel where the female character did heaps of sport? Biographies I could list a few, but fiction?+ACY-nbsp+ADs-There???s one on my … [Read more...]
Review and giveaway of "Six Nations, Two Stories"
Niamh Briggs and Paul O' Connell with their 2015 6Nations Trophies at Thomond. PIC Inpho via Joe.ieIrish rugby has been having a moment across the men???s and women???s codes with trophies popping up everywhere. The buzz of the 2015 6Nations wins have been captured in a new book which flips between … [Read more...]
Review: Ronda Rousey’s ‘My Fight, Your Fight’
PIC: Harry How/Getty Images via KSFMThere is so much hype now around Ronda Rousey that I sometimes forget what she is ??? she???s a fighter.+ACY-nbsp+ADs The first sentence of her book is simply that: ???I am a fighter??? and the following chapters are a gripping reveal which will resonate with anyone … [Read more...]
Must you be a champion to succeed at sport?
Blogging about sport can be so vast sometimes I lose track of who or what I want to focus on, maybe you find the same?But in the last few weeks I've noticed a few people picking up on a trend in martial arts/ boxing posts: do we all need to be a world champion to succeed in our sport?One blogger … [Read more...]
The underside of the Beautiful Game
Back to the computer and blogging after a week of talking MuayThai and learning windsurfing. Back to action on problems FIFA is facing. Back to more discussions on the support given to women's sports. Back to reality with a bang then. The Ugly Game This book was in my bag and in … [Read more...]
Big waves and bigger hearts
Windsurfer Katie McAnena in Red Bulletin Most people who see huge waves stand back in awe of Mother Nature, but a tiny number of people see them as a challenge. Windsurfer Katie McAnena is one of them and one of the few women I know of who gets in there among the largest, … [Read more...]