Triumphs and challenges of women in sport

On International Women’s Day, The Straits Times spotlights the triumphs and challenges of women in sport – from a mother balancing professional golf with parenting, female karters chasing their dreams in a male-dominated sport, to a powerlifter and rugby player who are challenging the norms of strength, beauty, and success.

Caroline Masson juggles motherhood and golf in LPGA Tour comeback

Life on the LPGA Tour has changed drastically for Caroline Masson over the past year.

Her priorities are no longer just centred around golf, but instead being the best mother she can to her son Benton, who turns two in April.

While the two roles may be equally demanding, the German golfer wants to prove that she can juggle both.

“It’s a bit more busy with less time to focus on the things that I used to do,” said the world No. 291 on the sidelines of the recent HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore.

“He’s my No. 1 priority, so I have to make enough time for him, but also make enough time to be able to compete, which is not easy.

“These are the best players in the world, so it’s tough to juggle both, but it’s been a really enjoyable year and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

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Female karters Kareen Kaur and Jane Lee challenge status quo in motor racing

Racing has at times been a lonely endeavour for Singaporean karter Kareen Kaur.

During her early cadet and junior years, she was often the only girl in the drivers’ briefing room and felt the need to prove herself each time she raced.

In order to be competitive against her male peers, who are sometimes more than twice her age, the 14-year-old trains nearly every day to build strength and stamina. Her routine includes a daily 3km run, high-intensity gym sessions and racing practice at least twice a week.

Strength is crucial, especially for Kareen, who is 48kg and races with a 25kg weight attached to her kart to meet the minimum weight requirement. The additional weight makes the kart slower and more difficult to control while going at high speeds of up to 120kmh.

Despite these challenges, the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus Secondary student remains undeterred. She said: “The pressure is immense, but I refuse to let it hold me back. Honestly, once the helmet is on, I feel we are all just competitors, not a male or a female.”

She has had some creditable results, placing fourth overall in the junior category – she was the top female driver – of the ROK Cup Singapore 2024 Championship, and she was second in the first round of the ROK Cup Malaysia last June.

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Strong and powerful: Powerlifter Farhanna Farid and rugby’s Teagan Levi embrace all body types

When Farhanna Farid made the transition from lifting weights recreationally to powerlifting about eight years ago, she had doubts about whether it was the right choice.

While there were female powerlifters then, the community was small. Being a muscular Asian woman was also outside the norm, owing to social stigma and traditional views of how women should look.

Farhanna became more conscious about her body’s changes after going past 50kg on the weighing scale and realising that some of her clothes no longer fit.

She also received comments from her family about why she was “getting so big” and “bulky”.

But, conversely, she felt in the best shape of her life, which played a key role in redefining how she perceived her body.

The 32-year-old said: “It rattled me for a bit in the beginning and I started questioning whether I should do it. But again, I felt so much better in terms of my strength, how good my body felt and my body awareness.

“I realised that it didn’t matter what people thought I should look like, as long as I’m comfortable in my own skin.”

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