The World Cup journey may be almost over for the Matildas, but there is still a way to go – kick a football – for Australia-based Great Britain’s Fran Hurndall.
Hurndall has been dribbling a soccer ball around Australia’s east coast for the past month, covering an average of 32 kilometers a day, aiming to complete her feat at Stadium Australia on Sunday before the FIFA Women’s World Cup final.
She is in the final stretch after leaving the central coast this morning.
“It’s been such a trip…I can see Sydney, literally,”
she said.
The 31-year-old is attempting to become the first woman to dribble a football 1,000km from the Gold Coast to Sydney.
She said the idea for the walk came from her “love for sport”.
Hurndall started playing football at age seven and later played for the Arsenal Academy in the United Kingdom.
“I’ve played soccer my whole life, but I really wanted to go beyond the expectations of women and girls in sport,” she said.
Liesl Tesch joined Fran Hurndall on her trip to Gosford’s waterfront. (ABC Central Coast: Emma Simkin)
Hurndall, originally from the UK but living in Australia for eight years, began his journey on the Gold Coast in July.
She crossed the central coast of New South Wales yesterday, where she was joined along the waterfront by Mariners women’s head coach Emily Husband, who was impressed with Hurndall’s skills.
“Obviously you have to keep the ball really, really close to you,” Husband said.
“Especially on the descents, that’s the hardest part.”
“Girls can do anything”
Gosford MP and Paralympian Liesl Tesch said she had been inspired by Hurndall’s efforts.
“It’s like the Olympic flame in the World Cup.”
She said it proved that “girls can do anything.”
“What Fran is doing is simply incredible and it’s also what sport brings to people,”
she said.
“She’s running from the Gold Coast to Sydney for God’s sake – it’s incredible.”
Hurndall seeks to inspire other young female soccer players. (ABC Central Coast: Emma Simkin)
As Hurndall traveled her 900km with a ball on her feet, there was a monumental shift in the support and appreciation of women’s football.
“It’s just insane,” she said.
“It’s so nice now that people are supporting women in sports.“
Hurndall will celebrate the end of his trip by watching the World Cup final between England and Spain.
Even though the Lionesses knocked the Matildas out of the final, there is still plenty of love for the English Central Coast side, who were the team’s base during the competition.
The team is donating $500,000 worth of competition-used gymnastics equipment to Central Coast Mariners players competing in the women’s competition.
“It’s a fantastic gesture from the Lionesses,” Husband said.
“There is no doubt that this will contribute to the success of athletes, individually and collectively.”
A new generation of young footballers is hoping to follow in Matilda’s footsteps. (ABC Central Coast: Emma Simkin)
