Newspapers are finally treating women's sports seriously, but still don't give them the coverage they deserve. Three trends point to the continuous rise of women in our sport. First, it should be noted that participation by girls and women is up in every area of our sport, whether it be hundreds of high schools a year adding track programs or millions of women taking to the roads. Third, visibility and marketing opportunities are growing for our women as the sport grows. What is most striking is that the key issues of concern in other sports were dealt with by our sport long ago.
Prize money is equal for men and women at track meets and road races.
Dragila, who set multiple world records, was the undisputed star of the indoor Golden Spike Tour. Marion Jones, who will compete six times this spring in the U.S., already is the highlight of the outdoor Tour. While we should be pleased with the progress of women within our sport, we shouldn't be satisfied. There are countries and competitions that still don't offer women equal opportunities. And it's still harder to make it as a woman in certain events, such as the shot put and hammer throw, than it is for the men.