Belgravia Leisure was proud to support the 2026 Women in Sport Breakfast this morning, joining more than 630 athletes, leaders, advocates and supporters at Centrepiece Melbourne Park to champion opportunities for women and girls in sport.
Hosted by Women Sport Australia and presented by Level Up Collective, this year’s event explored the theme A Seismic Shift, examining the progress being made in women’s sport and the action still needed to create lasting change.
A key focus of the morning was understanding why many girls disengage from sport during their teenage years and identifying ways the sector can better support them to stay involved.
Belgravia Leisure supported the event through the donation of 600 free family swim passes for attendees and seven double passes to Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa for the Community Awards and door prizes.
Representatives from across Belgravia Leisure attended the event, including team members from the Executive Leadership Team, Marketing and Communications, Access & Inclusion, GOswim, WaterMarc and Ascot Vale Leisure Centre.
Belgravia Leisure Aquatics Manager Sarah Podesta was among those in attendance and said:
“When we support girls to stay involved in sport, we’re doing more than increasing participation. We’re helping create a future where more young women have the opportunity to build confidence, develop leadership skills and thrive both in and beyond sport.”
Discussions highlighted barriers including period poverty, body image concerns, parental influences and uniform requirements, while showcasing initiatives that help to create more inclusive sporting environments for women and girls.
Attendees heard from an impressive line-up of speakers including Holly Ransom, Georgie Purcell, Jennifer Watt, Chris Jones and Lydia Williams OLY. A fireside discussion featuring Geena Dunne, Libby Trickett and Belle Brockhoff explored how leaders, organisations and communities can continue breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for women and girls in sport.
Belgravia Leisure Chief Operating Officer Anthony McIntosh was also in attendance and said the discussions reflected Belgravia Group’s ongoing commitment to increasing opportunities for women and girls in sport.
“We know that participation grows when people can see what is possible, which is why supporting clear pathways from grassroots participation through to elite competition is so important.
“In 2024, Belgravia Group became a foundation investor in the consortium that secured Geelong Basketball’s WNBL licence, helping launch Geelong’s first national women’s basketball team and create a genuine grassroots-to-elite pathway for female basketballers across the Geelong, Surf Coast and Bellarine regions.
“The impact of the investment is already being seen, with female participation in Geelong Basketball increasing from 28% to 38%. It’s a strong example of how visible pathways and role models can have on participation.
“Together with Geoff Lord’s commitment to increasing physical activity among one million children across Australia and New Zealand, it reflects our belief that everyone should have the opportunity to participate, be active and realise their potential through sport,” Anthony concluded.
