Last week, former First Lady Michelle Obama took to X, to highlight what for me has been the most impressive part of the Olympics. "I'm still not over this beautiful moment of sisterhood and sportsmanship!," she wrote, sharing a now-viral photo of American gymnasts Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bowing to Brazil's Rebecca Andrade as she celebrated her gold medal. I was equally impressed by our own ladies in the 4x400m Irish relay team; Sophie Becker, Phil Healy, Rhasidat Adeleke and Sharlene Mawdsley.
While they did not make the winning podium, in the words of Healy, they all "performed out of their skin" as a team and shaved three seconds off the Irish record. "I don't think any of us believed we'd run 3:19," Becker said in the post-run interview. We may not all have experience of crushing a national record at the Olympics, but many of us know the power of strong female allies - and the gaping hole when they are missing from our lives.
Ireland's Sophie Becker, Phil Healy, Rhasidat Adeleke and Sharlene Mawdsley. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne I can unequivocally say that female friendships are like iron, strong and unyielding. We become each other's loudest cheerleaders.
We possess a great ability to support, counsel and comfort each other in an almost maternalistic manner. When shit hits the fan sometimes it's only your girls that can help you mop it up. Despite a boyfriend / husband's best efforts, he's just not her.
Friends, Sex And The City, and Grey's Anatomy, iconic tv shows that all featured strong female friendships, also highlighted the value thereof. Who else has one of the "she's my Rachel," "she's my Monica" t-shirts? With Carrie and her flock, each friend was distinguished by their own specialities, almost akin to doctors of different disciplines. Charlotte, the hopeless romantic, highlighted the value of female friendships when she bashfully suggested to her three besties "Don't laugh at me, but maybe we could be each other's soulmates?" And then.
.. Jenny McEntegart.
