In this edition, we highlight six Black Canadian women who have opened doors in winter…
KAITLYN’S SPORT STORIES: AUGUST 7, 2025
In this edition, we catch up on how the always-electric Canadian tennis tournament, the National Bank Open, is playing out so far, including their gender equity initiatives and highlighting break-out Canadian tennis star Victoria Mboko. We also take a look at Rugby Canada’s recent win in Ottawa and their newest fundraising effort ahead of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. Lastly, we recap Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh’s dominant performance at the recent World Aquatics Championships.
NATIONAL BANK OPEN SPOTLIGHTS RISING STARS AND GENDER EQUITY PROGRESS
This year, the women’s National Bank Open tournament is hosted in Montréal. If you didn’t know the name Victoria Mboko, you do now. The 18-year-old has been turning heads with her incredible performance, starting with a round of 16 win over world No. 2 Coco Gauff. She went on to defeat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the quarter-finals and then showed no quit and battled past Elena Rybakina in the semis.
Mboko made history as the youngest Canadian in the Open Era to reach the National Bank Open semi-finals, and as the first Canadian to defeat three Grand Slam champions in a single WTA event during that era. Catch the finals matchup between Mboko and Naomi Osaka at 6 PM EST at IGA Stadium in Montréal (tickets available here) or on television on Sportsnet. This match up is going to be BIG and we have a feeling that the entire country will be tuning in tonight.
In recent years, the National Bank Open announced a commitment to offer equal prize money for the men’s and women’s tournaments by 2027. The tournament has remained committed to highlighting gender equity in tennis through campaigns, activations, and the Unmatched Gender Equity in Sports Conference– now in its fourth year.
New this year: the conference, typically hosted in Toronto, expanded to Montréal for the first time, taking place there on Wednesday, August 6.
I had the opportunity to volunteer at this year’s Toronto conference on Tuesday, August 5, where several exciting announcements were shared, including:
- The Northern Super League revealed an upcoming documentary called The Pitch, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Canada’s first women’s professional soccer league. The project is in partnership with Canadian Tire, TVO, and others.
- Hijabi Ballers announced a new tennis program launching at Sobeys Stadium. Love to see it!
- Philpott Children’s Tennis shared plans to open Canada’s first-year round tennis facility in the Jane and Finch area of Toronto. The space will offer free programming and a safe, accessible place for kids and families.
Canada women’s rugby team breaks record ahead of world cup
Last week, the Canadian women’s rugby team took down the U.S. women’s rugby team in a highly anticipated match at TD Place in Ottawa, Ontario. The 42-10 victory happened in front of 11,453 fans- a new record for a standalone women’s rugby match in North America.
More recently, Canadian band The Tragically Hip teamed up with the team to support their fundraising efforts for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup (August 22-September 27). They released a limited-edition co-branded shirt, with proceeds going toward closing a $1 million funding gap and supporting the team’s medal pursuit. The merchandise has since sold out, but you can join the waitlist for a restock here!
SUMMER MCINTOSH MAKES HISTORY AT WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIP
Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh lit up the pool at the recent World Aquatics Championship in Singapore. She won four gold medals, in the 400 m freestyle, 400 m individual medley, 200 m individual medley, 200 m butterfly, and a bronze in the 800 m freestyle.
With these wins, McIntosh now holds 13 career world championship medals- the most ever by a Canadian.
The stories of the week show girls in sport and physical activity that:
- We’re seeing a next generation of Canadian women’s sports stars right in front of our eyes, with the likes of Victoria Mboko and Summer McIntosh. These athletes are on the rise, already breaking records, and have such bright futures ahead of them.
- Having gender equity initiatives in place at Canada’s biggest tennis tournament of the year helps bring awareness and keep the conversation going around gaps in women’s tennis, while also maintaining focus on girls and women’s sports in Canada more broadly. With the announcements we’re seeing come out of these conferences, it helps create a platform to highlight the work that’s happening, whether it be a new documentary, a new program, or a new sports facility.
- Creating opportunities for fans to show up, whether it’s a home game or limited-edition merchandise goes a long way in building support for women’s sport. The record-breaking crowd in Ottawa and the quick sellout of fundraising gear for the women’s rugby team shows that when people are given ways to engage, they’re ready to show up and invest. Strong attendance and sales numbers also send a clear message to potential sponsors that backing the Canadian women’s rugby team is a smart and worthy investment.
Kaitlyn’s Sport Stories Recap are written by Kaitlyn Lehbert, a passionate and driven sport advocate for girls and women. Kaitlyn holds her Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from Brock University. Learn more about Kaitlyn by clicking here!
Have a sport story you want to share? Contact info@girlsforward.ca and it may get featured in Kaitlyn’s next feature.
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