Jezebel: Athletics

The Ladies' Guide To Football Promises To Tell You Dumb Broads What All The Man-Fuss is About

Erin Gloria Ryan — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:55:00 EDT

Women comprise nearly half of the NFL's viewing audience nowadays, but this wasn't always the case. Back in the 60's, America's wives were positively flummoxed by the confusing and male-dominated arena of football enjoying. It was enough to make a gal feel left out and abandoned! Tensions ran high! We were on the precipice of despair! Thankfully, by 1966, BirdsEye brand vegetables had enough and published a guide for women who just want to know what the H-E-double hockey sticks was going on with football, and how to be a proper ladyfan. And now we're showing it to you. More »

Men Try To Prove Pole Dancing Isn't Just For Women ... Or Strippers

Margaret Hartmann — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 22:56:00 EDT

The latest evidence that pole dancing is a legitimate sport, not just an activity that keeps strippers occupied while they're being oogled: Some dudes are taking to the pole too. More »

Women Who Run Marathons Alongside Men No Longer Allowed to Set World Records

Erin Gloria Ryan — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:15:17 EDT

In 2003, Britain's Paula Radcliffe finished the London Marathon in 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 25 seconds, the fastest time ever registered by a woman running the 26.2 mile race. Radcliffe's performance that day has been hailed as one of the greatest individual performances in the history of sports, but as of January 1 of next year, that record will be wiped from the annals of marathon world records. Why? Because the London Marathon allows women to run alongside male pacemakers, and officials from the International Association of Athletics Federations have decided that running alongside these men makes women artificially faster. More »

Cheerleading May Finally Be Recognized As A Sport

Margaret Hartmann — Mon, 23 May 2011 09:50:00 EDT

For years the debate has raged over whether cheerleading is a sexist activity that exists so girls can shake more than pom poms while wearing skimpy uniforms, or a rigorous sport consisting of difficult gymnastic maneuvers and stunts. In the meantime, the lack of regulation has made cheerleading one of the most dangerous activities for young women, accounting for 65% of all female catastrophic injuries in high school and college. Now two groups are hoping to put an end to this by pushing the National Collegiate Athletic Association to recognize competitive cheer as a sport. More »

Sideline General

Erin Gloria Ryan — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 14:15:00 EST

Berkeley, CA, Jan 22: UCLA head coach Nikki Caldwell yells from the bench during the first half of their NCAA women's college basketball game against California.

Ten Ways To Get Fit On A Tiny Budget

Erin Gloria Ryan — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 13:40:00 EST

Last week, I asked readers for advice on how to start working out without throwing a ton of coin at an expensive gym membership, and did you ever come through. More »

British Ironwoman Makes All Other Humans Look Lazy

Erin Gloria Ryan — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST

Chrissie Wellington didn't even realize that she was athletic until her early 20's. Now, at 33, she's a globally recognized endurance athlete. Stories like this should make you wonder if you are also secretly Superman. More »

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Lauri Apple — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 16:25:18 EST

Guangzhou, China, November 26: Li Jinzi of China (blue) boxes Undram Erdenesoyol of Mongolia (red) in the women's 69-75 kg gold medal match at Foshan Gymnasium during the 14th day of the Asian Games. Image via Getty.]

Women's Soccer Becoming More Popular

Lauri Apple — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 15:30:06 EST

Thanks in part to Title IX funding, coaches are getting better and more sophisticated, girls are getting better training, and more players are becoming super-skilled, reports the NY Times. Something even feminist Sarah Palin can be happy about. More »

Her Glasses Match the Water

Lauri Apple — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 18:54:21 EST

[Guangzhou, China, November 13: Satomi Suzuki of Japan competes in the Women's 4x100 meter Medley Relay final at the Aoti Aquatics Centre during the first day of the 16th Asian Games. Image via Getty.]

Headed Toward the Finnish Line

Lauri Apple — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 11:45:10 EST

[Levi, Finland, November 13: Susanne Riesch of Germany makes her way down a mountain during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Women's Slalom. Image via Getty.]

Glowing After Rowing

Lauri Apple — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 14:30:00 EDT

[Cambridge, New Zealand, November 6: Rebecca Scown and Juliette Haigh celebrate their victory in the Women's Pair Final during day seven of the World Rowing Championships at Lake Karapiro. Image via Getty.]

Are Today's Girl Jocks Tomorrow's Female CEOs?

Anna North — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 13:13:00 EDT

Some of the most successful women grew up playing sports. So do girls need athletics to get ahead? More »

Carmelita Jeter Reveals Her Ranking

Katy Kelleher — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:10:00 EDT

[Monaco, July 22. USA's Carmelita Jeter reacts after winning the 100m Women's race at the Herculis International Athletics Meeting, at the Louis II Stadium. Image via AP]

Semenya Will Return To Running In June

Katy Kelleher — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 10:20:00 EDT

Caster Semenya's lawyers told a South African television station yesterday that the results of her tests are in, and they prove that she can compete as a woman. They say she should have been cleared as early as February. [AP] More »

"One Of Feminism's Stickiest Subjects": The Sports Question

Sadie Stein — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EDT

Writes Judy Berman in Salon, "Although women's bodies can do incredible, unique things of their own (childbirth, anyone?), men seem to have a biological advantage when it comes to feats of strength and speed." But of course it's more complicated: More »

Girls In Urban Areas Face Unique Challenges In Playing Sports

Megan Carpentier — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:20:00 EDT

Katie Thomas has written two parts of a series for the New York Times looking at the unique challenges facing urban girls who want to play sports, and the adults who want to encourage them. More »

You Say "Jump," She Says "How High"

Anna Holmes — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:50:00 EDT

[Doha, Qatar; May 8. Image via Getty]

Running With Cervixes: Women Overcome Hurdles

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:30:00 EST

As recently as the 1970s women were banned from participating in marathons. Now, middle-aged women who were discouraged from the sport when they were younger are taking up running for the first time. More »

Teen Girl Focused On Weight

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:20:00 EST

14-year-old Zoe Smith has been dubbed the "strongest girl in Britain" after the 5'2, 126 pound girl lifted almost two thirds more than her body weight. More »

Michelle Wie finally became a member of...

Margaret Hartmann — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:30:00 EST

Michelle Wie finally became a member of the LPGA Tour yesterday, tying for 7th place among the 20 players who earned their LPGA cards at the 2008 Q-School tournament. The 19-year-old used special sponsor's exemptions or invitations to participate in almost all of the LPGA Tour events she competed in previously, but she plans on playing a full schedule in 2009. "I play whenever I want now, not when I have to play, or only six tournaments," said Wie, "I'm going to take advantage of this card." [AP] More »

South Korean Jang Mi-ran, who won weightlifting...

Margaret Hartmann — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:20:00 EST

South Korean Jang Mi-ran, who won weightlifting gold at the Beijing Olympics, says that after struggling with her weight as a teenager, being an athlete has made her happy with her 275 lbs. "I used to think that my size was a flaw before I started weightlifting," said Jang. "But after I started weightlifting, that has become my strongest point. Now I'm very pleased to be dubbed the world's strongest woman." Jang broke two world records in Beijing and plans to compete again in 2012. [Reuters] More »

Next spring, a 16-year-old schoolgirl will...

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:20:00 EST

Next spring, a 16-year-old schoolgirl will become the first female to play professional baseball in Japan. Eri Yoshida was drafted by the Kobe 9 Cruise, a team in a new independent Japanese league. The 5-foot, 114 pound pitcher successfully held male batters hitless for one inning in her tryout earlier this month. Yoshida throws a side-arm knuckleball and says she wants to be like Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield, who is known for his knuckleball. "I always dreamed of becoming a professional," said Yoshida. "I have only just been picked by the team and haven't achieved anything yet." [The Independent] More »

This Sunday, Joy Johnson, 81, will run her...

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:30:00 EDT

This Sunday, Joy Johnson, 81, will run her 21st consecutive New York City marathon. Johnson is the defending champion in the 80-and-over age group, a title she has held for 5 of the past 11 years. In this Wall Street Journal video, Johnson says that when her time started slipping a year ago, rather than accepting that she was slowing down she decided to train harder. So far, she's shaved an hour off her time. [The Wall Street Journal] More »

In 1982, at the age of 25, Barbara Buchan...

Margaret Hartmann — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:15:00 EDT

In 1982, at the age of 25, Barbara Buchan was competing for a spot on the U.S. cycling team when a horrific accident shattered her skull and left her in a coma for two months. Doctors didn't think she would survive, and even when she woke up they said she may never speak or walk again. But Buchan struggled through six years of painful rehabilitation determined not just to walk, but to compete in cycling again. Yesterday, at 52, Buchan finally fulfilled her dream of winning a gold medal, breaking a world record in the individual 3,000 meter cycling pursuit at the Paralympics in Beijing. Though she still has trouble reading and speaking and coordination problems in her arms and hands that make shifting gears difficult, she has built up her leg strength and endurance to compensate, and relies on her team mates to help tighten bolts and tweak her bike before races. It's an incredible comeback and she's still not done — Buchan will race again in Beijing on Friday in the 25-kilometer road time trial. [NY Times] More »

Golden Boys: Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Dwight Howard

Anna Holmes — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:50:00 EDT

Golden Girls: Heather Mitts

Anna Holmes — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:50:00 EDT

Retro Sports Style: The Haircuts & Smiles Were As Uneven As A Gym Apparatus

Anna Holmes — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EDT

We think everyone can agree that it's been an amazing two weeks of the Olympic games: Michael, Usain, Rebecca, Nastia, Shelly-Ann, Dita, Valerie, Kerri and others have both entertained and awed. And even though the games are just about four days away from ending, and the major news networks are already running (and hawking) highlight reels, we thought we'd close out the second and final week of the Summer Games with a little nostalgia of our own, namely, our own sports-related failures and triumphs...in fashion. One thing we noticed: A lot you participated in gymnastics, soccer and softball. Fewer played Little League. Even fewer, lacrosse and tennis. But all of you were awesome...and, of course, ridiculously adorable. After the jump, a few dozen of our favorite Olympics-inspired past fashion photos. More »

Golden Girls: Andrea Fuentes, Gemma Mengual

Anna Holmes — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:50:00 EDT

Golden Girls: Fukuhara Ai

Anna Holmes — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:50:00 EDT

Golden Boys: Serbian Men's Water Polo Team

Anna Holmes — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:50:00 EDT

Golden Girls: Zhao Yudiao, Janne Mueller-Weiland

Anna Holmes — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:50:00 EDT

Golden Girls: Betty Heidler

Anna Holmes — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:50:00 EDT

Golden Girls: Mariama Signate, Irina Bliznova

Anna Holmes — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:50:00 EDT

Golden Girls: Jungja Sin, Lisa Lesie

Anna Holmes — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:50:00 EDT

Golden Girls: Shawn Johnson

Anna Holmes — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:50:00 EDT

Golden Girls: Cuba's Women's Volleyball Team

Anna Holmes — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:50:00 EDT

Wrestler Randi Miller Takes Her Opponent (And Practically Her Coach) To The Mat

Anna North — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:20:00 EDT

Randi Miller's coach says wrestling her is "like being stuck in a washing machine." Watch as the 24-year-old American, who won Bronze on Saturday, spin-cycles her opponent Martine Dugrenier, describes her achievements in a cute self-deprecating voice, and leaps into the arms of her coach with obvious joy. "It worked out for me today," says Miller, whose bronze is the first medal for the American women wrestlers in Beijing. More »

Oldest Women's Marathon Winner Is Woman Of Few Words, Thousands Of Frenzied Fans

Anna North — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:20:00 EDT

One interesting thing about the marathon, especially if you're used to watching sprints, is how slow the runners seem to be going. The commentators in the clip above — from Saturday's women's marathon in Beijing — confirm this, saying they're "not sure that leg speed makes all that much of a difference after you've run 26 miles." Obviously, this doesn't mean the marathon is easy, it just means it's complicated — there's a lot to think about besides being fast. But 38-year-old Constantina Tomescu makes it look — and sound — simple. The oldest Olympian ever to win the Marathon says her coach told her "if the pace is slow for the first half, you can push. That’s all." (We dare you to tell us the roar of the crowd when she enters Beijing's National Stadium doesn't give you the chills.) More »

British Swimmer Rebecca Adlington Has World Record, Good Friends

Anna North — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:20:00 EDT

Rebecca Adlington is apparently Britain's Michael Phelps, and in this clip you can see why: throughout the 800-meter freestyle, which aired on Saturday, she stays at least a body length ahead of the green line representing Janet Evans' 19-year-old world record. When Adlington breaks the record for her second gold in Beijing, you can see Evans clapping happily. But the best reaction came from Adlington's teammate Cassie Patten, who finished last in the race. "If the queen is watching, this girl should be made a dame," said Patten. "She's my best mate so I'm allowed to say that." More »