March 22, 2013 at 6:30 p.m.
Olympic icon Leslie confirmed as Expo's headline speaker (Update)
The 6ft 5in retired player was a three-time WNBA MVP and is considered a pioneer in the women's game, as well as one of its greatest ever players.
Leslie said: "I'm excited to have the chance to come over to Bermuda and inspire and encourage my fellow young women. I look forward to getting asked lots of questions and being able to give feedback and share my story as a professional athlete.
"It's not always easy to try to reach that ultimate goal and win gold medals, and raise a child. I've had a lot of support — my mom will come with me as well, and I'm very excited she will be able to attend.
“I look forward to this opportunity because I really feel it’s a blessing to be a role model — I always wanted to be a role model for young girls so I’m really grateful and look forward to meeting all the women at the event.”
The expo, hosted by the Bermuda National Athletics Association and the Bermuda Olympic Association, will stage a banquet Friday night, with doors opening at 6.30pm. There will be a little girls’ rock run at 8:45am on Saturday followed by a 5k run/walk.
The expo will then begin at noon with speakers and demonstrations. Confirmed guest speakers for the expo are: Paula Lewin (Bermuda Olympic sailor); Anjali Forbert-Pratt (Paralympian); Jessica Lewis (Bermuda Paralympian); Chrissie Wellington (international triathlete); Pauline Davis (Olympic track medallist) and Bonnie Bernstein (ESPN reporter).
There will also be a discussion panel that will feature, among others, Bermudian boxer Teresa Perozzi, Bernstein and Davis.
Donna Watson, president of the Bermuda National Athletics Association, said: “We just want to have all of our budding female sports enthusiasts come out and enjoy the two-day event.
“We have women coming in from the Caribbean and the US and we are excited, day by day, with the interest being shown.”
She added: “Now we have Lisa Leslie confirmed I have no doubt men will also be coming to that banquet.
“We’d like men to come because it’s a good thing to see experiences women go through in sport and how different they are compared to what men go through — this is a women’s expo but we also want men’s participation.”
BOA president Judy Simons said: “This initiative has to be all credited to Ms Watson but it’s something the BOA has been wanting to achieve, especially in the last four years.
“The speaker that has been announced can only motivate more young women in our country to take up sport and look at the leadership role they can play and how they can develop their lives.
“We’re asking all young women to come out and support this event. They will not be sorry.”
Ms Brenda Dale, of title sponsor Argus Group, said: “On behalf of the Argus Group we’d like to say we are very pleased to be the title sponsor for the Women in sports Expo.
“We are pleased to partner with both the Bermuda National Athletic Association and the Bermuda Olympic Association to put on this event.
We look forward to not just being the sponsor but participating in the event and we’re very excited about all the key people that will be there and we look forward to promoting, furthering and continuing our promotion of health and wellness for not just the young girls but all the women in Bermuda.”
People can sign up for all the events by logging on to www.racedayworld.com.
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