I work my nine to five, better cut my check. This goes out to all the women getting it in, you on your grind. To all the men that respect what I do, please accept my shine.” — “Run The World (Girls)”, Beyonce, 2011
By ROB KNOX
It seems Beyoncé was onto something when she released her anthem for women’s empowerment in 2011. If she dropped a remix in 2024, the chorus might shift slightly. Instead of asking, “Who runs the world?” she’d be asking, “Who runs the Olympics?”
The answer remains the same: Girls.
In an Olympics packed with superstars, the women athletes shined brighter than the sun. From Simone Biles to Suni Lee to Jordan Chiles to Katie Ledecky to Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone to A’ja Wilson to Gabby Thomas, the women dominated the Paris Olympics. Over two weeks, the Olympics provided:
— A refreshing pause to celebrate the beauty of competition.
— The fulfillment of dreams.
— The sheer excitement of record-breaking performances.
With many once-in-a-generation and transcendent athletes in their prime, the Olympics felt like an extended farewell party to greatness. The United States women’s soccer, basketball, track and field, and gymnastics teams left a lasting impression by completing triumphant victory laps and collecting plenty of gold medals. The women’s volleyball team added to the haul with a silver medal.
These women were strong, dominant, personable, and inspirational. Not only did they light the spark, they led the way.
Witnessing these phenomenal women compete during the Olympics was like viewing a great movie that you never wanted to end. Amid the lightning storm of flashbulbs and the euphoria of their latest accomplishments across various venues, there was a tinge of sadness in knowing we may never see this level of elite talent assembled again.
It’s the multitude of moments that left me mesmerized, such as:
— Sha’Carri Richardson’s iconic “Sha’Carri Stare” during her 10.09-second anchor leg of the winning 4 x 100-meter relay team victory. Richardson persevered with patience and courage to earn a gold and silver medal in Paris.
— The look of pure appreciation on Brittney Griner’s face after winning gold is a poignant moment following her well-documented ordeal.
— Thomas excitedly placed her hands on her head after winning the 200-meter dash in tribute to all the hard work that led to the ultimate reward. Thomas also earned gold medals as a member of the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relay teams.
— Biles and Chiles saluting gold medal winner Rebecca Andrale of Brazil in the floor exercise on the podium. It was a strong display of sportsmanship and the embodiment of women supporting women by lifting them.
— Tara Davis-Woodhall, pebbles of sand on her back, leaping into her husband’s arms after winning the gold medal in the long jump.
Women’s sports are thriving thanks to increased investment, attention, and appreciation. Outstanding female athletes have always existed, but it’s inspiring to see when a constellation coalesces to create enduring excellence that deserves to be celebrated indefinitely.
Research indicated that an incredible 65 percent of America’s Olympic champions in Paris were women, who took home 26 of their 40 gold medals. That return is the highest ever from a female contingent in a single Olympics.
Additional research from James R. Angelini (University of Delaware) and Paul J. MacArthur (Utica University) revealed that women’s sports received 51.12% of the coverage at the Paris Games on NBC’s primetime show. The coverage of the women’s gymnastics team final that aired live averaged 12.7 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, ranking among NBC’s most-watched Olympic weekday daytime events ever. This significant increase in viewership is a testament to the impact of women’s achievements on the sports world.
USA’s thrilling 1–0 victory over Germany in the gold medal women’s soccer match averaged approximately 9.0 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, marking the most-watched gold medal soccer game since 2004. The affable triple expresso of Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson, and Sophia Smith helped the USA win a pair of one-goal thrillers during extra time in the medal round.
The women’s basketball team’s narrow victory over France in the gold medal game averaged 7.8 viewers, with a peak of 10.9 million viewers Sunday morning. In addition to Wilson, Kahleah Copper was so vital to the team’s winning their eighth straight medal and 61st consecutive game that she earned an affectionate nickname from Wilson in the postgame interview.
It’s clear: Everybody watches women’s sports, and Beyoncé was always right.
Rob Knox is an award-winning professional. A member of the Lincoln (Pa.) Hall of Fame, Knox enjoyed a distinguished career as an athletics communicator for Lincoln, Kutztown, Coppin State, Towson, and UNC Greensboro. He also worked at ESPN and for the Delaware County Daily Times. Recently, Knox was honored by the NCAA with its Champion of Diversity and College Sports Communicators Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer award. Knox is a graduate of Lincoln University and a past president of the College Sports Information Directors Association of America (CoSIDA). He is also a member of the United States Basketball Writers Association women’s basketball committee.
