Spratt wins Silver

An Australian cyclist won silver at the Cycling World Championships on the weekend, not that you’d know about it from reading the newspapers.  Yes, there was an article in the Herald, but you had to go looking for it. It didn’t ‘pop up’ on the ‘front page’ of the website.  There’ll be an article in the Blue Mountains Gazette – for sure – maybe even front page.  The Gazette does a good job of chronicling Amanda Spratt’s career – local girl done good and all that.

It reminds me of when Stephanie Gilmore became the surfing world champion in 2012, I excitedly picked up the Telegraph expecting a big splash (pun intended) on the back page, and had to start turning page after page to find any mention of it.  Eventually finding it 5 pages in from the back page, tiny article, from memory I don’t think they even added a picture.  All preceding pages filled with footy – league to you and me.  Most of the articles taken up with reporting on dicky knees – apparently that makes the news – a footballer having an injured knee – and if one of them requires an operation – well that’s bigger news than someone becoming a WORLD CHAMPION.  I guess she’d done it before, so, you know, where’s the news in her doing it again.

It’s not like cycling or surfing are obscure sports.  Join the holiday traffic queue on the NSW coast and the roof of every second car will have several boards strapped to it.  I’ve stayed in campgrounds where next to EVERY tent there lies at least one board.  So, someone becoming world champion in a sport avidly pursued by a huge number of Australians – you’d think that would make the news.

I’ve found it hard to find comparable figures: the number of cars sold in calendar year 2017 was 1.2m (drive.com.au), whereas the number of bikes sold in financial year 2017 was 1.8m (statistica.com – the description said 1.2m, but the graph shows 1.8m).  What it means is, the number of bicycles sold in Australia is either equal to, or 50% greater than, the number of cars sold.  Australians ride bikes.  Lots of Australians ride bikes.  Our national media believe that none of those people would be interested in hearing that one of the Australians who rides a bike came second in a race that decides who is the best in the world for that year.

If you’re thinking this item is about women in sport – well, yes and no.  You see, Rohan Dennis won gold in the time trial at the same championships as Spratty’s silver – did you hear about that.  Err, no.  There was an article covering Rohan’s achievement in the Herald, but just like Amanda’s, you had to already know about it and go looking for it.

I’m not suggesting we build a shrine in Hyde Park to these athletes, but, geez, give’m a few inches on the back page.

Postscript:  I have actually raced against Amanda, many years ago, back when she was a junior, and I was already an old man.  I can’t seem to recall who crossed the line before who …. But I’m sure you can guess …