Women Will Jump For Gold In 2014 Olympics

For athletic women, breaking down barriers in sports should itself be an Olympic sport.

In the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, women were shut out of ski jumping due to, according to the International Olympic Committee, lack of “elite competition.” Although they must have felt they had a strong case to go all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada to be able to compete alongside male jumpers, the legal system failed to support their convictions.

Setbacks aside, women have continued to give a voice to their right to jump in a sport that’s considered extreme. Figure skating looks just as extreme (throwing yourself into the air, spinning a few times, and hoping you’ll land on ice!), but the IOC has to be absolutely sure of an event’s success before it’s put on the world stage. Fortunately, their persistence has paid off. Announced on April 6, 2011, the IOC has given women the go-ahead to jump in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Women didn’t get the green light through the sole use of voice though. They have had to prove that, even though they don’t technically compete against men, that they can jump just as well as men. Like male jumpers, they are disciplined athletes with heart and passion for their chosen sport. As Fox Sports reports, women “sealed their case at the Nordic world championships in Oslo in early March, when competitors jumped in heavy fog and strong wind. IOC board member Gerhard Heiberg of Norway said he was impressed by the level of competition and would recommend the event’s inclusion to Rogge.” Not only did women have to prove themselves by taking their case to a judge, but they had to show that they could talk the talk and jump the jump. Their bold statement to the universe that they could jump in any weather shows their unshakable resolve. If it wasn’t enough to wow Mother Nature herself, at least it was enough to impress an IOC board member.

Trailblazer Lindsey Van, who won the ski jumping championship in Olso, Norway, in 2009, is one of the women who had both words and action on her side. She has been part of the battle for gender equality in the Olympics and she can finally rest assured that the spotlight is shining on women jumpers, as she as she told the Associated Press, “It’s a relief. We worked really hard for this. It feels really good to finally finish it. It’s just a big relief for me and I’m really excited for the future of the sport.” The IOC may have said that “the key factor in the decision was whether the changes would increase universality, gender equity and youth appeal,” but it seemed like what women jumpers really needed was a hero. She may not compete in 2014, but she can rest assured that her biggest jump has been her advocacy on behalf of a thrilling sport that she loves and is great at.

Women may have had to take extreme measures to be allowed to compete in extreme sports, but we’re glad that they haven’t given up. Fight for your right to jump. And win.

Contact the author here: tinybart@morningquickie.com