INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY I BRONWEN KNOX

Bronwen Knox is Australia’s most capped Olympic women’s water polo player, having played at four Olympic Games and notching up an impressive 394 caps for Australia.

When it comes to sport accolades there isn’t much Knox hasn’t done, including winning two Olympic bronze medals, captaining her country, leading her National League teams to victory as well as giving back to the sport at a participation and pathways level. 

She got her inspiration to go to an Olympics as a young fan in the stands watching the Aussie Stingers make history at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games when they won gold at the first Olympic Games that featured women's water polo.

Since retiring from water polo post the Tokyo Olympics, Knox is now working within the Australian sporting sector as a National Integrity Manager and is keenly still involved in the sport as a member of the WPA Board as the Chair of the Athletes Commission.

She has seen her fair share of changes over the years, both within water polo but also the broader industry.

“In Australia we are seeing a conscious and continual effort to embrace equality and offer women more opportunities. We are identifying barriers and working collaboratively to improve female representation across all levels within our sport. 

“In water polo we have seen the women included in the Olympic Games in 2000 and in 2004 included in the Australian Waterpolo League. There are more opportunities for female water polo players to play in the USA or Europe and engage with other leagues outside of Australia.

“We are seeing female athletes embrace opportunities to get involved in the different levels of the sport and be strong role models for the younger generations,” she said. 

Like so many sports, the change that occurred has been positive but Knox admitted that there is still plenty to do.

“Internationally in water polo and in aquatic sports more broadly we still have much to improve with respect to female representation – athletes, coaches, officials and administration. 

Women’s water polo has not been around since well before the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. In fact Australia first sent an international team overseas in 1977.

Knox said it's those women who came before them, the athletes, coaches and administrators, that created such a strong legacy by advocating for equal representation at the highest level of the sport, 

“The women who have come before us have done an immeasurable amount of good for our sport – namely fighting for our inclusion into the Olympic Games. 

“Without the tireless efforts from our pioneering women and their male allies we would not be where we are today. We often see those women continue to give back to the sport, particularly at the grassroots level, and continuing to inspire the generations to come,” she said.

Knox said in Australia the shift in women’s sport has seen greater profile not only in the media, but also in embracing the difference between men’s and women’s sport.                                                  

“We have seen big steps forward in women's sport particularly in areas of broadcasting and media. This is largely due to technology advances which have enabled female athletes and their sports to boost their own profile and have matches/events streamed to growing audiences. Giving them the ability to control their own narrative and prove their worth. 

“We have seen this in professional sports, where the pay gap is improving, and mainstream media are showcasing women’s sport more and more. This is particularly evident with the upcoming Women’s FIFA World Cup and the need for more seats to fill demand. 

“Women have often had to prove that their sport has commercial viability and we are seeing the hard work of those pioneers come into fruition.

“We are also seeing a shift in the way we view our female athletes and embracing their differences to their male counterparts. 

“We have seen this in the increase of female athlete health research. More athletes speaking publicly about the issues female athletes may face when it comes to their reproductive health and are assisting in breaking down the stigma attached,” she said. 

Knox’s transition post Olympic career has seen her still involved in water polo as part of the Australian Waterpolo League but also nationally in her role with the board.  Her hope is that other women will also get involved. 

“My advice to women out there would be to engage with the female communities in this space and the programs offered. Organisations such as the Minerva Network who are women supporting Australian women in the business of sport, or the Australian Institute of Sport who run several transformational leadership programs designed to support women working in high-performance sport, are doing great work in this space.

“These types of networks and programs provide women with a community and ability to break down barriers and feel supported while doing so,” she said.