Nana’s dream job leads her to Stawell

Date: 31st March 2023

Following her successful entry into the sports media industry after completing the Change Our Game Women in Sports Broadcasting course, Australian sprinter and sports media talent Nana Owusu-Afriyie will join the commentary team for the 2023 Powercor Stawell Gift.

Nana Owusu-Afriyie competed in six international competitions including the women’s 4×100 metres relay event at the 2019 World Athletics Championships. After an injury prone couple of years Nana is back training and hoping to represent Australia at next year’s Paris Olympic Games. Her role at Stawell will include interviewing athletes after the races for the live audience and the 7Plus livestream.

Nana is a Graduate of the Change Our Game Women in Sports Broadcasting program, offered through the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation; which is working to level the playing field for women and girls in sport and active recreation.

“I love pro running,” said Nana, who has competed at several regional Gifts in the past. “It’s a completely different mindset, but I enjoy the challenge of being outside my comfort zone and I love the tight community around the sport.”

Nana was part of the “Do More” campaign which aims to educate and ultimately eliminate racism in sport in Australia, when it was suggested that she would be perfect for the Change Our Game program. It was the due date for applications, but she made it in time and was chosen as one of 15 women to participate.

“When I was injured in 2021 I thought about what I saw myself doing in the future. I didn’t want to wait until I retire from athletics to start something new. I knew I wanted to stay in something sports related. I had always been interested in the media side of athletics so the idea of working in sports media was planted.

After completing the Women in Sports Broadcasting course Nana realised sports media is what she wanted to do. “It put a fire in my belly.”

“I can’t speak highly enough of Change our Game and the Women in Sports Broadcasting course. The ongoing support has been invaluable. The time they devote to us is incredible, constantly checking in and helping us get a foot in the door of a male dominated profession.”

Nana quotes a survey which showed 91% of Australians want to see more women in broadcasting. “Change Our Game is helping to open the door for women to take those jobs. There are so many women’s sports events now and so many stories of great women in sport to tell.”

After finishing the program, Nana was able to secure a role with WattleNest, an organisation that connects business and sport to empower and celebrate Australia’s elite athletes, as Co Host for the For the Glory show which is broadcast on the SEN TV app.
“The program supported me in developing a stronger understanding of the sports media and broadcasting industry. I learned and developed skills which have provided me with confidence to actively pursue a career in sports media and take on the role at The WattleNest,” said Nana.

Nana had planned to compete at Stawell for the first time this year but the timing wasn’t right in her post-injury training plan. “So I am excited to be there in the role of commentator. It will be great to see track athletes out of their comfort zone and see the two worlds of track and professional running come together.”

“My favourite part of the Change Our Game program was the group of likeminded women I met and the support system we made. That has helped me every step of the way, and after the formal conclusion, the team is always still available to bounce ideas off and help extend my learning further. It almost feels as though the programme has not ended.

“I hope when I look back in a decade’s time, I can say that I pursued a career in sports media and broadcasting. My dream goal would be to work at multi-sport events, such as the Olympic and Commonwealth Games as a broadcaster providing special comments, speaking to athletes, and sharing their stories.”

Nana also now sees herself as giving back to the industry just as she has been helped. She is using her skills and knowledge to advocate for diversity and inclusion in sport and inspire the next generation.

“My ambition is to help give women a platform to obtain roles and opportunities in sports media and broadcasting. I want to help drive and encourage more women of colour and diverse backgrounds to be on our screens, because representation is so important in motivating more women to pursue roles and opportunities in these industries. I want to encourage women – just like the Women in Sports Broadcasting Program encouraged me – and allowed me to learn skills to put myself out there in a male-dominated field.”

Last year Nana graduated with a Bachelor of Nutrition Science from Deakin University. She also coaches athletics at two Melbourne schools. Her parents are from Ghana.

The Change Our Game initiative is one of the many ways the Victorian Government is leading the way to increase the representation of women in leadership positions in sport and to create a more gender equal sports industry.

Nana’s participation in the program highlights the importance of initiatives like Change Our Game in creating a more equitable and diverse landscape in sport. By providing opportunities for women to develop their skills and connect with other leaders in the industry, we can work towards a future where gender equality is the norm.

The addition of Nana to the 2023 commentary team has been made possible with the support of Northern Grampians Shire Council.

“We are thrilled to be able to support Nana’s role in the expansion of the commentary team at this year’s event. Nana will add a lot to the fan experience where for the first time spectators will be able to hear immediate reactions from athletes after racing and her unique insight as an elite athlete will be informative and entertaining,’ said Mayor Kevin Erwin.

For more information about the program visit changeourgame.vic.gov.au.

Comments are closed.