The first-of-its-kind women’s track event, ATHLOS, debuted on Thursday in New York City, created to address the lack of visibility for track and field outside of the Olympics and for women’s sports in general. The competing athletes weren’t the only women at the inaugural event working to make a difference–female reporters, announcers, officials and influential guests also showed their support. One particular official present who has worked to create opportunities for women was Canada’s Lisa Ferdinand–the first-ever female starter for a men’s Olympic 100m final.
“She joins us here to cap the night—making history as our starter for the last race of the evening: the ATHLOS 200m,” the announcer said, honouring Ferdinand.
Ferdinand, an accomplished technical official on the World Athletics Starter Panel, has achieved a series of firsts during her career in the male-dominated world of track officiating.
The Canadian has become an inspiration for women around the world as she promotes gender equality within the sport and increases the representation of female technical officials in athletics. Ferdinand has worked to encourage women to seek technical and administrative positions, management roles, committees, and board positions, and she has expressed that more can be done to achieve gender parity in the sport. Her role as the starter of the final 200m event at the inaugural world-class women-only meet continues to influence and inspire women globally.
Introduction to officiating
Born in Montreal, Ferdinand began her career in track and field in 1974 during her first year of high school. After running cross-country, she became set on sticking to a distance no farther than 400m. At 16, she represented Canada on the junior national team, competing in the high jump, before attending Rice University in Houston. Coached by Victor Lopez, the former NACAC President, Ferdinand focused on the high jump, javelin and heptathlon.
In 1984, during her second year of university, Ferdinand suffered a serious knee injury while throwing a javelin, requiring reconstructive surgery, which led to an 18-month recovery process. Despite the setback, the Montreal native persevered, moving to Saskatchewan to train with national combined events coach Lyle Sanderson, before retiring from competition in 1988.
To remain connected to athletics, Ferdinand began officiating at local track meets, which quickly accelerated into a career as a technical official at world-class meets: the Commonwealth Games, the Pan-American Games, the World Athletics Championships and the Invictus Games. “Officiating was not only a way for me to give back, but to remain connected to a sport that has given me so much,” she told World Athletics during an interview in 2022.
Accomplishments
Ferdinand was the first woman and person of colour to serve as Board Chair for Athletics Ontario. In 2015, she became the first woman and first Canadian to be nominated to the World Athletics Starter Panel—one of six members assigned on a rotational basis to major events like the World Championships and Olympic Games. In late 2022, Ferdinand was inducted into Canada’s Officials Wall of Fame.
At 62, Ferdinand continues to make strides in achieving gender equality. At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the geologist and mother of three became the first woman in history to be named the starter for the men’s 100m final—the premier event at the highest level of competition in athletics. Her legacy will endure, creating opportunities for women and establishing greater recognition for women’s sports.
