Jasmin Paris makes ultramarathon history with 99 seconds to spare 🏃‍♀️

Anyone else feel like March has absolutely raced by? It feels like the month only started yesterday, but April is now just around the corner!

I think part of the reason March has gone so fast for me is because I’ve returned to full-time work hours after completing my book, La Vie Jamais Racontée: Alice Milliat, a French Heroine and Sporting Suffragette in January. I was only working part-time hours to give me time to write, but it’s been really exciting to pick up more freelance work and get involved in different projects over the past few weeks.

This has also left me more stretched for time to write this newsletter, hence why it’s been a bit longer than normal since the last edition. I still intend to publish this newsletter on a regular basis as I love putting it together (and I hope you enjoy reading it!). But I’ve decided to not write a feature piece at the start during busier times, instead focusing on sharing news and content from the world of women’s sport. Fear not, I will still be publishing longer newsletters when I have the time, but just wanted to explain why there may be abridged versions in the future.

So, without further ado, let’s great straight into what’s been catching my eye in recent weeks.

Winning Women

Celebrating the impressive achievements of female athletes across the world

• Britain’s Jasmin Paris became the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathons, the world’s hardest ultramarathon. Only 20 people have completed the 100-mile race in Frozen Head State Park in the 60-hour time limit – Paris finished with just 99 seconds to spare. To make her feat even more remarkable, this interview with The Guardian reveals Paris has no ACL in her left knee!
  
  

• Another remarkable ultramarathon feat next, this time from Camille Herron. She broke the world record for the amount of miles ran by a woman in six days, smashing out 560.33 miles – a staggering 93.38 per day. This surpasses the 549.063 miles ran by Sandra Barwick in 1990.
  
  

• Tennis world number one Iga Świątek earned yet another title this month, winning Indian Wells with a two-set victory against Maria Sakkari in the final. The Sunshine Double slipped through Świątek’s fingers when she exited the Miami Open in the round of 16, however.

Bits and bobs

Women’s sport news and content you may have missed

• Let’s start with the Women’s Six Nations, which got underway at the weekend. Defending champions England, complete with a new Red Roses Twitter handle, got past Italy, while Scotland narrowly defeated Wales and France beat Ireland. In other rugby news, be sure to keep an eye out for documentary ‘Abbie Ward: A Bump in the Road’, which will be showing on ITVX soon. The documentary is directed and produced by Sue Anstiss and Jack Tompkins, and chronicles Ward’s journey as she returns to rugby just 17 weeks after the birth of her baby.
  
  

• If you’re interested in the topic of motherhood in sport, West Ham have also produced a documentary on team captain Dagný Brynjarsdóttir, who gave birth to her second son last month.

• If that’s not enough viewing material, then Jamie Chadwick is the latest female athlete to feature in Sky Sports Editions. The motorsport star reflects on her career so far and what needs to be done to increase representation in her sport.
  
  

• The new NWSL season is well underway over in the United States. It was really nice to see Seattle Reign FC announce plans to retire Megan Rapinoe’s iconic number 15 shirt. Popular college basketball tournament March Madness has also got started in the US, with all eyes on Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark. Catch up on the hype over Clark with this long read from ESPN.
  
  

• This is also a really nice feature on Laura Kenny, who announced earlier this month she would be retiring from cycling after earning five Olympic golds and seven world titles during a brilliant career. Wishing Laura all the best!

• The results from the BBC Elite British Sportswomen's Study 2024 are out, and they are not particularly encouraging. The majority of respondents earn less than £20,000 a year from participating in sport, with most disagreeing that they are paid enough and the financial rewards are adequate. The full set of results can be found here.
  
  

• I love the rise of women’s sports bars across the world! I’ve noticed two in the works in London – Set Piece Social and The Other Team. Looks like the phenomena is already well underway in the US, too.
  
  

• If you’re in London and fancy watching some women’s sport live, then get down to the Copper Box Arena on April 10. London Lions have become the first British basketball team to reach a European final, and tickets for their second leg against Besiktas are now available.

That’s all for today’s newsletter. If you enjoyed it, please share with your networks and anyone else you think may be interested. Thank you!