Here For Her: Women’s Day Celebration of Women in Sport

August 9, 2025 Kgodiso Mdaka

Changing The Narrative
For decades, women in sport have had to run further, swim harder, and fight louder just to be seen. This Women’s Month, SuperSport’s Here For Her campaign isn’t just another celebration — it’s a statement. It’s about rewriting the narrative, challenging the bias, and showing that women aren’t just participants in sport… they are the pioneers, the record-breakers, and the heroes.

More Than Medals
From Penny Heyns’ historic Olympic double in 1996 to Kirsten Neuschäfer’s solo round-the-world sailing triumph, South African women have consistently achieved feats unmatched by their male counterparts. These are not outliers — they’re proof that talent thrives even when opportunity doesn’t.

The Inequality Gap
While our women’s national teams have reached more finals, claimed more continental titles, and delivered historic firsts, they’ve done it with a fraction of the funding, media coverage, and sponsorship their male counterparts receive.

Banyana Banyana: 2022 WAFCON Champions & 2023 World Cup Round of 16 finish.
Bafana Bafana: No AFCON title since 1996.
Proteas Women’s Cricket: First SA team (male or female) to reach a World Cup final in 2023.
Men’s Proteas: Still chasing their first.

Breaking Records, Redefining Heroes
These athletes aren’t just winning — they’re shattering ceilings:

Tatjana Smith: SA’s most decorated Olympian in history with 2 golds & 2 silvers.
Caster Semenya: Double Olympic champion in the 800m, defying global odds.
Shabnim Ismail: One of the fastest bowlers in the world at 128km/h.
Laura Wolvaardt: Youngest Protea to surpass 2000 ODI runs.

A Movement, Not a Moment
SuperSport’s Here For Her campaign is committed to ensuring these stories aren’t told just in August. The goal is to create a sustained shift — one where girls growing up see themselves reflected not just in highlight reels, but in investment, equal pay, and consistent coverage.