Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week 2025

At Edinburgh University Sports Union, we are proud to have so many women involved in sport whether it be as athletes, coaches or officials. Their contributions play a vital role in promoting being active and inspiring more women and girls to get involved in sport. We spoke to a few of the women involved in sport at Edinburgh to hear their thoughts on participating and how sport has impacted their university journey.

Connie Chen, Sports Union Exec Media Officer.

For Connie, there’s no reason why women and girls shouldn’t get involved in sport. Aspiring to pursue a career in sports photography, Connie explained that one of her role models was Julie Fust, a sports photographer. Julie inspired Connie, in her words “dare to dream”, of one day becoming an accredited sports photographer at the Olympics. Growing up, Connie explained the majority of those behind the camera were men so having female role models is truly inspiring. 

Voices from our Female Sports Leaders 

We also spoke to some of our female sports club leaders about the benefits of being involved in sport:

• Iseult, Women’s Captain of Judo, believes that “sport is the harmony of the body and mind”. For Iseult, sport helps her manage stress and move through the world easier.
• Maddie, Publicity Officer of Jiu-Jitsu, says that sport teaches resilience and encourages her to push her limits whilst providing her with an amazing community. She encourages other female students to get involved in sport as it has amazing benefits physically, emotionally and mentally.
• Jessica, President of Judo, emphasises that sport helps build confidence and provides a supportive community of women.
• Lois, President of Triathlon, adds that sport is a fantastic way to keep active “your body feels good and it’s great for your mental health”. 

Alumni Spotlight: Eilidh Gibson

In addition to hearing from current female students involved in sport we reached out to Eilidh Gibson a University of Edinburgh alumni. Eilidh graduated from Edinburgh in 2018 with a degree in Biomedical Sciences. During her time at university, Eilidh was on the Individual Performance Programme and competed internationally for Great Britian in Slalom Canoe. At Edinburgh, Eilidh told us she had a great community of athletes who understood what it was like to be a student-athlete. She explained that sport has the power to make change both for individuals and communities, as a career she works to make sport an inclusive environment where everyone feels they have a place. 

Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week is a great reminder of the power sport has to bring people together, foster personal growth and inspire leadership. By being involved in sport, women at Edinburgh University are building a supportive community to help create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone.