To celebrate International Women’s Day, we speak with the AW Managing Director and Olympic 3000m silver medallist about how athletics can strive for greater equality

The theme for International Women’s Day 2022 is “Break the bias”. What does that mean? As internationalwomensday.com explains: “Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.”

Athletics is a sport which has made great strides towards equality in recent years from a place where, not so long ago, women were deemed to be “too fragile” to run anything beyond 800m. There is still work to be done, though, and who better to talk to than our very own bias breaker – AW Managing Director and 1984 Olympic 3000m silver medallist, Wendy Sly?

When she discovered her love for running aged 11, Wendy could never have imagined the incredible journey it would take her on and the lifelong friends she would meet along the way. But it hasn’t all been a clear run to the finish line for her and the women in our sport.

Women’s distance running was historically not considered “attractive” or “commercially viable” so when the middle-distance star won her Olympic silver in the first ever women’s 3000m in 1984, she stamped her place in history and became a role model for female athletes across the globe.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Georgie Heath sat down to chat with her boss, and friend, Wendy about what “break the bias” means to her, the evolution of women’s athletics and where it can go from here.

What does ‘break the bias’ mean to you?

I guess I’ve lived through a period where breaking the bias has happened before my eyes. I feel that women competing in athletics are finally the shining stars and it is so deserved. They train as hard as the men, they sacrifice as much as the men and they deserve the same appreciation for their dedication and achievements.

When I started running, I got called all sorts of names because it was strange at that time for young girls to be out on the streets running in a vest and shorts. Now, we all go to the supermarket or shopping in athletic gear, and no-one bats an eyelid! The whole image of women taking part in physical activity has changed. It’s been a transformational period and I feel like I have seen so much of it. I truly believe we are constantly breaking the bias in track and field.

Who did you look up to at that time? Were there any female role models out there?

I was massively inspired by Lillian Board, who won the 1968 Olympic silver in the 400m and then the 800m and 4 x 400m gold at the European Championships in Athens in 1969. As a young girl, I was into most sports but to see her winning but at the same time looking so glamorous and stylish, made me look up to her hugely. I wanted to be a like that. Being sporty didn’t need to stop you being feminine.

There was also Mary Peters, who later was my team manager in 1984. I remember, in 1972, my parents got a colour TV just in time to watch the Olympic Games and I was glued to it, watching her win that pentathlon gold. As team manager I trusted her because of what she’d achieved, and because I’d always looked up to her. She helped me through some difficult times before my final, as there was still so much hype in the Olympic village around Zola Budd, and I know she helped Zola, too. You need people like that in sport.

What was the biggest adversity you had to overcome during your time as an athlete?

It was the early 80s when I was just getting good, but it was really difficult for me to earn a living. I was the best in Britain and top 10 in the world, but it was difficult to make a living as and be a full-time athlete. There was very much the feeling that the longer distances for women weren’t attractive for the TV audience or a crowd at Crystal Palace. Therefore it was almost impossible to find high calibre races that suited me in the UK, so I headed to overseas to places like Oslo to compete.

My goals were always to compete on the track, but in order to be a full-time athlete I saved up and moved out to America to race on the roads and earn a living and improve my running. I was doing what I could to be a full-time athlete. That made it very difficult, especially as there weren’t many female athletes at that time, and you couldn’t get grants like you can now. You had to be creative and really dedicate yourself. That’s what I did and then I came away with that silver in 84 so that made it all worth it.

I was unlucky that I had to have knee surgery the next year so probably missed out on new opportunities in 1985. Having said all of that, I’m now so lucky to still be involved in such a massive capacity and discover the lifelong beauty of athletics. It was a tough time back then but so worth it. I’m proud to have come through it, but at the same time I’m so happy for the girls now that it isn’t the same for them. They’ve now got that higher profile and those opportunities to race and that’s a bias we have truly broken in the time I have been in the sport.

Now you’re at the helm of a huge athletics magazine that talks about events women didn’t even used to be allowed to compete in. What does it mean to be breaking that bias yourself and to have been part of that huge change?

I’m proud to have been part of it all and to have seen the incredible journey so far. It’s crazy that I was part of the first Olympic women’s 3000m ever and I also won the inaugural 10k World Championship in 1983. Looking at that now makes it even more special to see how far we have come. There’s been a lot of bias breaking along the way from a lot of amazing women, so I am truly humbled to have played a part in that in the sport I love.

It was because of those trailblazers like Grete Waiz riding the roads in America that I wanted to race and win. Then Shirley Strong, Kathy Cook, Tessa Sanderson, Sue Hernshaw and myself all walked away with medals in 1984 and showed that women could have a higher profile and compete at many and varied disciplines successfully.

Following on from this time the women’s steeplechase was introduced and the 10,000m and 5,000m on the track, plus marathons at every championship and field events such as the hammer and triple jump. These were real steps forward. It gave that chance for a range of disciplines but also women of all shapes and sizes with abilities in different areas.

That’s always a great thing for young girls to see and understand – that there is something out there for everyone. I love that we now have such an incredible group of female athletes in this country who are inspiring youngsters all over. To be able to cover that with AW and to be part of the journey with UKA makes it really special for me now.

What is it about these girls that is so special?

They are all bright, young, attractive role models who speak their minds, dedicate themselves to their sport, and represent everything I believe female athletes should. You’ve got the likes of Keely Hodgkinson, Laura Muir, Holly Bradshaw, Dina Asher-Smith and Katarina Johnson-Thompson, plus so many others, and hopefully there will be a whole host of 10-year-olds watching them and believing that they can do it, too – just as I was inspired by Lillian Board all those years ago. It’s amazing to see and I love watching them performing and, most importantly, enjoying it and inspiring others while they do it.

Where does athletics go from here to keep breaking biases?

I proudly think that athletics has been ahead of other sports for a while now in terms of gender mix and diversity, but that doesn’t mean we can’t keep looking to build on this. It’s not just in terms of athletes but also coaches and encouraging more women to get into it.

We need role models at all levels and in all areas of athletics, so getting the support for these women is crucial. When I stopped competing, I didn’t go into coaching because I had a full-time job and a child and it was impossible to get that balance with time, money, commitment and to be at a track on time several days a week.

As a sport we need to understand those extra pressures that women have and, where possible, create a support network. It would be great to see a stronger link between competing and then encouraging women to get into coaching. I think as a sport we can make it happen.

And, finally, what would your advice be to young girls getting into the sport and following in your footsteps?

Give it a try. You can find that you might not click with a certain trainer or group straight away, but there are plenty of clubs and coaches out there. When it all slots into place you will fall in love with it. There is such a vast roster of events and there is always something for everyone. Even if you can’t perform at the top level and are happy just getting involved then that is the most important thing.

You meet the most amazing people along the way and there’s always such a family feel in athletics. I’ve made friends for life from all over the world who are always supporting each other in everything they do. I couldn’t imagine my life without athletics, and I just hope that my position now can inspire others to stay involved, too. Even if it is just one young woman, then if I have made a difference to her, either through what I did as an athlete, by being their team manager, or by reporting on people and events through AW, that is enough for me.