12 top sportsmen & the inspiring women who shaped their careers
It's been another wonderful year for sport in 2016, with the Rio Olympics highlighting some of the finest athletes in the world.
With Andy Murray having to remind a BBC reporter about Venus and Serena Williams' gold medals, sexism in sport isn't going anywhere.
With that in mind, we asked some top sportsmen to celebrate a particular woman who they consider to have shaped their careers. From Usain Bolt's school PE teacher, to the snowboarding ace Jenny Jones who coached Team GB's Jamie Nicholls as a child, and subsequently held his hand at the Sochi Winter Olympics, and the South African runner Zola Budd who inspired England cricket's Freddie Flintoff, here are some of the women behind - and winning - the medals.
Picture research by Sophie Knight
Join our campaign! GLAMOUR's Say No To Sexism In Sport campaign aims to raise the profile of women's sport. Follow us on Twitter @GlamourMagUK and tell us what you think #GlamourSport
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Andy Murray
Tennis player, ranked No 2 in the world
“They say I was plucky choosing Amélie Mauresmo to be my coach but, truth be told, if anyone was plucky it was Amélie – she’s the one who’s taken the heat. The competence has constantly been under fire. But I was ranked 11th in September 2014, I’m now ranked third [Murray was promoted after this interview] – it speaks for itself.”
Ed Clancy
Five-time-world-champion cyclist
“Victoria Pendleton is the most determined athlete I’ve come across in my career. When things didn’t go to plan, Vicky would want to know exactly where she was going wrong. That drive for perfection was an example to me.”
Michael Jamieson
Swimmer and Olympic silver medallist
“Jane Carre is my physiotherapist and works tirelessly to help me perform at my best. She targets areas of weakness in my movement patterns ain the water, creating a tailored patterns in the water, creating a tailored programme that prevents me getting injured. I couldn’t compete at this level without her.”
Mike Brown
England rugby player
“I work with sprint trainer Margot Wells, who helps me improve my physical qualities – balance, speed, power, strength and co-ordination – and also Susan Kaye, a sports counselor who’s taught me to recognize emotional triggers that impact my performance, and reframe my thinking on the pitch. Together, they enable me to perform at the highest level in professional rugby.”
Usain Bolt
Multi-world-record-holding sprinter
“My PE teacher, Ms Thorpe, was like a second mother to me when I was in high school. She was always encouraging, pushing me to maximise my potentials. I remember her saying to me, ‘Keep believing in your God-giving ability, even when no one else does’.”
Freddie Flintoff
Former England cricket captain
“I remember seeing Zola Budd running barefoot on the TV when I was a child. It led me to learning more about the challenges she faced as a South African athlete during the apartheid era – she had to overcome so many obstacles to pursue the sport she loved. As a lad beginning to get a taste of playing competitively, her story was really inspiring.”
Alistair Brownlee
Triathlete and Olympic champion
“I started working with Corrinne ‘Coz’ Tantrum – a very influential swimming coach – when I was 14. I had just left a swim programme that didn’t care for a triathlete in the making, but Coz saw it as a challenge, attending triathlon camps so she could learn more about the sport. Over the next few years, she convinced me to swim more, took me to competitions, and ultimately helped me become the athlete I am today.”
Anthony Joshua
Olympic-gold-medal-winning boxer
“Training alongside Jessica Ennis-Hill with Team GB and seeing the amount of work she put in was very motivating. I first met her when I was struggling around a running track and she stopped and took time out of her own training to give me running tips. I have huge respect for her and what she has achieved.”
Louis Smith
Gymnast and double Olympic medallist
“When I was 15, I watched Dame Kelly Holmes win her tow gold medals [in the 800m and 1500m] at the 2004 Athens Olympics. I was at a point in my career when I knew that I could be good enough to compete at the Olympics, but I was still too young. Seeing her smash it – twice – gave me the desire to reach that level myself.”
Jonnie Peacock
Paralympic gold medallist sprinter
“Goldie Sayers is a three-time Olympian and 11-time national javelin champion. Having trained with her, I’ve seen first-hand the hard work she puts in to better herself; despite being unlucky with injuries, Goldie always finds the motivation to fight back to full fitness. She is the type of athlete I try to emulate.”
Jamie Nicholls
Team GB snowboarder
“Jenny Jones coached me at snowboarding camp when I was eight years olf. So it was an honour to compete alongside her at the Sochi Winter Olympics. I remember practicing my backside triple cork just before the finals while Jenny stood at the bottom of the warm-up slope. She told me to stay calm and reassured me – it gave me a big confidence boost just when I needed it.”
Phil Neville
Former England footballer and BBC Sport presenter
“Growing up, both my brother Gary and my sister Tracey played sport, too. I loved going to watch Tracey play netball as a kid – and now, having played for England in two Commonwealth Games, she’s heading to Sydney for the Netball World Cup as the coach of the England team. I’m so proud of everything she’s achieved. We’ve always been supportive of each other – through every win and loss, we know what the other is going through.”
