It has been three months since the beginning of the 2016 Olympic Games.
Both the United States men and women’s teams had remarkable performances this year. The two teams combined earned a total of 121 medals, making them the winningest of all competing countries.
The U.S. women Olympic athletes truly stole the show. They collected 61 of the total 121 medals. The women’s team alone won more medals than 83 other countries did with both their men and women’s teams in all of the events. The only two countries that had them beat were China and Great Britain.
What does this say about American women in sports? Are we now to be reckoned with as a powerhouse for both sexes?
If we use medal count as a metaphor for power structure throughout the world, the United States would be the leader. This was aided critically by the success of its female athletes.
So how do we treat these women? Female athletes are paid significantly less than their male counterparts. Most women have second jobs outside of athletics to help support their families. Some do not even get the proper recognition that they deserve.
Corey Cogdell-Urien is a prime example of not receiving appropriate recognition. She won a bronze medal in the Olympic Games in the trap shooting event. This was not her first Olympic medal, either. The Chicago Tribune wrote the headline, “Wife of a Bears’ lineman wins a bronze medal today in Rio Olympics” with a picture of the athlete smiling proudly holding her medal. She won an Olympic event, but she was being recognized by who she is married to, not her athletic accomplishments.
Female athletes are also underappreciated in the sports media world. Men’s sports can be found during primetime on main broadcasting stations, such as ESPN. A male sport can be broadcasting a low-level Division 1 lacrosse game over a WNBA playoff game and no one bats an eyelid. If women’s sports were broadcasted similarly to men’s, they could reach a larger audience. The women’s national soccer team’s World Cup win was the largest watched game in soccer history, between both men and women.
Women are now a powerhouses in sports. They bring numerous medals, accolades and fame to the American name. It is time to appreciate their efforts and give them the recognition they deserve.
Hannah Glover is a contributing writer for the Bona Venture. Her email is gloverhr16@bonaventure.edu
