Women players fighting for equality on the soccer field in Vanuatu in the face of misogyny and cultural history
But this year Vanuatu's representatives pulled out of the tournament at the last minute, and back home the women's game is struggling to rise above familiar obstacles - cultural tradition and misogyny.
To progress, they need popular support, sponsorship and quite literally somewhere of their own to play, because right now teams affiliated to the Port Vila Football Association have to wait in line behind the men.
So when Rose Moise took on the task of Women's Development Officer for the PVFA a year ago, it was never going to be easy.
As she strives to revive the women's league in Port Vila and find sponsors, she also has to fight back against a tirade of social media abuse from men.
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ABC News
4 hours ago
- ABC News
Mollie O'Callaghan equals Ian Thorpe with 11 swimming world championship gold medals
Mollie O'Callaghan has equalled swimming great Ian Thorpe's Australian record of 11 world championship gold medals with victory in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay in Singapore. O'Callaghan anchored the team of Lani Pallister, Jamie Perkins and Brittany Castelluzzo to victory in a thrilling race with the USA finishing second and China in third. The 21-year-old's teammates laid the perfect platform, handing her a lead going into the final leg of 0.39 of a second over US superstar Katie Ledecky — who was shooting for her 23rd world title to move within three of the record golden haul of compatriot Michael Phelps. The two had a virtual match-race over the final 200m, but O'Callaghan was never headed to eventually win by 0.66 of a second in an overall time of 7:39.35 The night after winning the 200m freestyle, then swimming second fastest in the semifinals of the 100m, O'Callaghan overcame exhaustion to equal Thorpe's Australian record for world titles in the pool with her third gold of the meet. "It is very special. It would be wrong if I said it wasn't special. It's a huge accomplishment in a way," said O'Callaghan, who has won four individual and seven relay golds. "Each moment I can remember, and it just shows the journey that I've had, and us girls have had, because I haven't been able to do all these gold medals without these girls. "I have a great coach [Dean Boxall] who keeps it really positive – the environment, very passionate, you know he's really outgoing." O'Callaghan — who on Friday night (AEST) will try to add 100m freestyle gold to her 200m, 4x200m and 4x100m titles at this meet — had to leave the interview early, to calls of "love you", "proud of you" from her teammates. Pallister, who swam a personal best in her opening leg, said she gave O'Callaghan a pep talk before the final leg. "Without the profanities, I was pretty much saying to Mollie on the block 'do you know who you are?'," she said. "When you've had the former world record and you've won the world championship the day before … in my mind as soon as Mollie dives in, I know we've won it." Pallister and Perkins said the team did not think they would win the final without world record holder Ariarne Titmus, who was in commentary and in the middle of a year off. "When you lose a 1:52 swimmer and a world record holder, it's really hard to get up and America always lifts for relays, so we knew we were coming in for a battle tonight," Perkins said. The woman who has essentially replaced Titmus is Castelluzzo, who gave up the lead in her third leg before making up a body length in the final lap to touch in front. "I was just trying to keep calm and then have fun trying to mow someone down in the last 50m," the 24-year-old said. "Australia's very good at relays and I did feel a lot of pressure coming in. We've lost Arnie and I'm sort of the one who's come through and replaced [her], so it's big shoes to fill." Canadian Summer McIntosh blew the field away to win the women's 200m butterfly final in a time of 2:01.99 – her personal best and the second-fastest time in history. She was just 0.18 of a second behind the world record set by China's Zige Liu in 2009 during the infamous supersuit world championships in Rome. Do you have a story idea about women in sport? Email us abcsport5050@ As 18-year-old McIntosh turned around to view her time, she let out an audible obscenity in frustration, and it took several minutes before the gold medallist cracked a smile in her post-race interview. "Winning was the goal going in, but my other goal tonight was to break the world record, which often I don't really say or focus on, but to see how close I was to breaking it and not getting it, I'm a little bit frustrated," McIntosh said. It was her third victory at these championships as she seeks to win five individual gold medals to equal Phelps's record from Melbourne 2007. Australian Lizzie Dekkers came third behind McIntosh and American Regan Smith just six weeks after placing third at the Australian trials, which ruled her out of the world championships. But she was called up when Abbey Connor pulled out for "personal reasons". "A roller-coaster is really the best way to describe it. It's been a crazy few weeks," she said. "I'm really stoked with that result. It's definitely not what I expected. I wasn't meant to be here, you know? "Five weeks ago, I'd hopped back in the water, but I wasn't expecting to race for six months." She said swimming with McIntosh was inspiring. "Racing her is amazing, getting the opportunity to internationally race the best every time, it makes me want to push harder, especially because she is so young," the 21-year-old said. Australia's Kyle Chalmers won bronze in the men's 100m freestyle final as Romanian David Popovici swam the second-fastest time in history. His time of 46.51 seconds was just 0.11 outside the record set at the Olympic Games by China's Zhanle Pan, who missed out on the final. "I was never going to swim 46.5 or around that mark, unfortunately. I would have loved to see 46 next to my name," said Chalmers, who stopped the clock at 47.17. "But I'm really, really proud of that performance and to come away with a medal in such a stacked final is something I'm really proud of." Chalmers said he came close to stepping away from swimming in January, but credited his physiologist and coach for coming up with a new training plan that revived his love for the sport. "From doing nine sessions a week, 50 kilometres sort of weeks, to now doing once a day topping at probably at 20 kilometres, which is kind of reinventing myself in the sport and finding a new way to swim fast," he said. "It's been really exciting." Chalmers was the defending world champion and won silver at last year's Olympics but was almost a second behind Pan, which he said rocked his confidence. "To be beaten by a whole second in an Olympic final and then try and reset and believe that you're good enough to continue to compete in that event," he said. "Those guys saw a 46.4 last year and everyone's training and believing they can swim a 46 and 46 has become the new normal." Chalmers has a new lease on life in and out of the pool. He's engaged to Norwegian swimmer Ingeborg Loyning and the couple are expecting their first child in September, living on a farm in the Adelaide Hills. "I'm loving doing something so different that's stimulating my brain," he said. "To be able to just get up in the morning now, have a coffee, do some farm work, kind of go down to training around 11. "I swim by myself with the public swimmers in the middle of the day. "Our goal is to make the LA Olympics together." Frenchman, Leon Marchand could not repeat his world record-breaking pace from Wednesday night, but he still won gold in the men's 200m individual medley in the second-fastest time in history behind only his semifinal swim. Australia leads the swimming medal table with five gold medals ahead of the US on four, with Canada on three – all thanks to McIntosh.
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Wallabies veteran Nic White announces retirement from Test rugby
Veteran Wallabies halfback Nic White says it's the 'right time' for him to retire from Test rugby. White, 35, has announced that Australia's clash with the British and Irish Lions on Saturday night in Sydney, where he will start, will be his final Test. 'There's been great competition for the nine (halfback) jersey here in the Wallabies for a number of years, and it feels like the right time to pass on the baton with some more good young players coming through who will need time in the saddle leading into what's going to be an unbelievable experience of a home Rugby World Cup in 2027,' White said. 'Pulling on the gold jersey was a dream of mine when I was a young boy in Scone and to say I've done it 72 times, with one last crack on Saturday night, is something I'm incredibly proud of and a privilege I've never taken for granted. 'Rugby has given me so much to be grateful for. I've made some incredible memories, some lifelong friendships and had the opportunity to see the world.' White came off the bench in Australia's 21-18 win over Fiji in Newcastle on July 6 but was not part of the Wallabies' 23-man squad for the opening two Tests of the series against Lions, with Jake Gordon the starting half in both of the home side's losses and Tate McDermott being the back-up option among the reserves. McDermott has again been named on the bench for Saturday night's clash, with Gordon missing out on the squad entirely. In another backline change, winger Dylan Pietsch has replaced Harry Potter, who injured his hamstring in the Wallabies' 29-26 loss to the Lions at the MCG last Saturday. In the forwards, prop Taniela Tupou and flanker Tom Hooper will start at the expense of injured pair Allan Alaalatoa (shoulder) and Rob Valetini (calf) respectively. There have also been changes to the bench, with prop Zane Nonggorr and versatile back Andrew Kellaway replacing Tom Robertson and Carlo Tizzano. Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said his squad had 'started to gather momentum' after Australia's last-gasp defeat in Melbourne, where the Lions took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series. 'The squad was certainly deflated after the gut-wrenching end to last week's Test in Melbourne, but … will be ready to go again on Saturday,' said Schmidt, who added that White was a 'great man to have in a squad'. 'He's team first all the time and has been at the top of the game for over a decade. 'Having coached against `Whitey', and now worked with him in the Wallabies environment, he's the ultimate competitor. 'I know how much pulling on the gold jersey means to him and on behalf of the current group we wish him and his family all the best for the next chapter.' White, who will retire from all rugby at the end of the year, will continue to train with Western Force ahead of the Super Rugby AUS competition starting in September. 'I'll keep working hard with the Western Force, who have been an incredible support for me and my family since we moved west nearly two years ago,' the former ACT Brumbies star said. 'Hanging up the boots for good at the end of the year will also allow me to spend more time with my wife Mel and three boys Leo, Sonny and Vinnie, which is something I'm massively looking forward to.' Wallabies team to play Lions at Accor Stadium on Saturday at 7:45pm (AEST): 1. James Slipper (146 Tests) 2. David Porecki (21 Tests) 3. Taniela Tupou (58 Tests) 4. Nick Frost (28 Tests) 5. Will Skelton (33 Tests) 6. Tom Hooper (12 Tests) 7. Fraser McReight (28 Tests) 8. Harry Wilson (c) (25 Tests) 9. Nic White (72 Tests) 10. Tom Lynagh (5 Tests) 11. Dylan Pietsch (5 Tests) 12. Len Ikitau (42 Tests) 13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (7 Tests) 14. Max Jorgensen (10 Tests) 15. Tom Wright (40 Tests) Bench: 16. Billy Pollard (9 Tests) 17. Angus Bell (39 Tests) 18. Zane Nonggorr (11 Tests) 19. Jeremy Williams (13 Tests) 20. Langi Gleeson (16 Tests) 21. Tate McDermott (44 Tests) 22. Ben Donaldson (18 Tests) 23. Andrew Kellaway (40 Tests)
ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
Mollie O'Callaghan wins 200m freestyle gold at swimming world championships in Singapore
Australian swimmer Mollie O'Callaghan's golden touch has continued with an emotional victory at the world championships in Singapore. O'Callaghan collected gold in the women's 200m freestyle on a Wednesday night at the worlds when Australia's fortunes fluctuated. The victory means the 21-year-old has drawn level with Grant Hackett on 10 world titles, and is one off equalling Ian Thorpe. She still has the 100m and two relays to come. Meanwhile, stalwart Kyle Chalmers laid down an ominous marker for the men's 100m freestyle final and rookie Harrison Turner won bronze in the men's 200m butterfly — Australia's first medal in the event at a world titles. But compatriot Sam Short's torrid times at major meets continued when the gold medal fancy was forced to withdraw from the men's 800m freestyle final because of gastro illness. He suspects food poisoning from lunch at the team hotel, but Swimming Australia said the source had yet to be identified. Short's Olympics last year were cruelled by illness and injury and the 21-year-old was hoping his fortunes had changed in Singapore after winning silver in in the 400m freestyle on the opening night of the titles. His disappointment at not making the blocks was in stark contrast to O'Callaghan's joy at her 200m freestyle gold. O'Callaghan triumphed in one minute and 53.48 seconds with teammate Jamie Perkins (1:56.55) finishing seventh. "Heading into this week has been a whirlwind," O'Callaghan said. "Having a big long break after the Olympics was well needed and then coming back from injury myself, I am so thankful to have an amazing coach [Dean Boxall] to guide me through this difficult time. "I know it has been hard for a lot of people to come back after the Olympics but I am very grateful to have a good support from the team to get me through this mentally and physically." Chalmers was fourth fastest into Thursday night's 100m freestyle medal race. The 27-year-old clocked 47.36 seconds in his semi-final — quicker than his 2016 Olympic gold medal swim and also faster than his silver medal effort at last year's Olympics. American Jack Alexy (46.81) topped semifinal times. And the Dolphins' medal tally received an unexpected boost when 21-year-old Turner snared bronze in the men's 200m butterfly. The 21-year-old former cross country athlete snuck into the final in lane eight and then produced an Australian record of 1:54.17 in a race won by American Luca Urlando (1:51.87). "I looked up on the board and I had to look there for a bit, I was like: 'Does it say third?'," Turner said. "It's just unreal." Australia's mixed 4x100m medley team of Kaylee McKeown, Nash Wilkes, Matt Temple and Milla Jansen finished fifth. Also on Wednesday night, French megastar Leon Marchand broke the men's 200m medley world record. Marchand clocked 1:52.69 in a semifinal, well inside American Ryan Lochte's previous benchmark of 1:54.00 set in 2011. Meanwhile at the diving world titles held concurrently in Singapore, Australian duo Cassiel Rousseau and Maddison Keeney won silver in the mixed 3m springboard synchro on Wednesday night. The silver was Keeney's second medal of the championships after winning 1m springboard gold last Saturday. AAP
