International Women’s Week: Olivia Lyons

At UWA Sport, we are committed to providing everyone equality of opportunity, experience and outcome.

We #ChooseToChallenge the equality of sport for women all around the world. We are celebrating IWD this year by featuring our sporting game-changers, next up is athlete Olivia Lyons.

International Women’s Day is important to me because it gives everyone the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the wonderful women in our lives. It is also an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come in the pursuit of equality and provides a spotlight to raise awareness about issues that still exist.

I started competing in athletics when I was 7 and love all the track and field events but was always best at the throws (shotput, discus and hammer throw). I have competed overseas as a junior and at a national level as a senior, won several state medals and a gold medal at Uni Games in 2016 in the hammer throw. All through school, other kids would always make fun of me for doing a ‘man’s sport’ and that would make me self-conscious or embarrassed about the throwing events that I was good at. I overcame this through the incredible friendships that I built through my sport – while athletics is an individual sport I never felt alone, self-conscious or embarrassed about being a thrower down at the track. My Dad is also a huge motivator in my athletic career, and I would not be still competing 20 year later without his support.

As a Speech Pathologist, I work in a female dominated profession. I have been lucky to have always felt supported and valued by the other women (and men) that I went through university with and work with now.

My Mum is my biggest female influence. She is kind, intelligent, thoughtful, strong and supportive. I would not be the woman I am today without her as a role model.

My biggest female icon would be my Great Grandmother, Dame Enid Lyons, who was the first woman elected to the House of Representatives and the first woman to serve in Federal Cabinet. She was a pioneer for women in politics and showed that you can have a successful career and raise a family (of 12 children in her case!). It inspires me to do the same.

My advice to women pursuing a career in sport is to not let stereotypes or negative comments cause you to doubt yourself or take away from what you are talented at and what you’ve work hard for.