Sports where men and women compete against each other

• Sports has remained an activity that segregates its competitors by sex. The purpose of segregating men and women in sports is to create effective competition. 
• Mixed-sex sports are sports where men and women compete equally. 
• The outcome in such sports is not affected by the physical difference between men and women. 

Sports has remained an activity that segregates its competitors by sex. However, there are mixed-sex sports where men and women compete equally. 

The outcome in such sports is not affected by the physical difference between men and women. 

Most sports segregate men and women so as to ensure the sport is competitive. 

Let’s discuss some of the most common mixed-sex sports without further ado. 

1. Equestrian

Equestrian sports are sports where horses are used as the main part of the sport. Men and women compete in this event together as the outcome is not affected by the physical difference between the competitors. 

An effective equestrian competitor only needs to be confident and able to ride horses. 

Equestrian is the only Olympic event with a platform for both men and women to compete equally. Most of the competitors doing equestrian events are women. 

According to sources, there are about 30,000 athletes registered by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI). Two-thirds of these athletes are women. 

2. Horse Racing

Horse racing. Photo/ Encyclopedia Britannica.

Horse racing is one of the few mixed sex sports in the world. The sport involves two or more horses ridden by jockeys over a set distance for competition. Sometimes the horses are driven without riders. 

Horse races vary widely in format, and the variations include restricting races to particular breeds, running over different distances and running over obstacles. 

A recent study concluded that women in horse racing perform no better or worse than their male counterparts as long as horses have the same ability. 

3. Darts 

Dart is a competitive sport in which players bare-handedly throw small sharp-pointed missiles at a round target. 

The sport is played for recreation in most parts of the world since it’s a traditional pub game. However, it is a competitive sport in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. 

Darts is one of the mixed sex sports where women compete equally against men. In December 2019, Fallon Sherrock became the first woman to defeat a man at the PDC World Championships after beating Ted Evetts 3-2. 

Speaking after her victory, Fallon said that she had proven women could play men and beat them in darts. 

4. Motorbike Racing 

Motorbike racing is among the sports where women are proving they can do just as well as men on the same stage.

Motorcycle racing. Photo/ Carole Nash Consultants.

Women are starting to make progress in the sport competing alongside men. The whole witnessed Ana Carrasco make history in September 2017 as she became the first woman to win a world championship motorcycle race. 

The motorcycle race took place in Portimao, Portugal. 

5. Sailing 

Sailing involves a variety of competitive formats that are sanctioned by various sailing federations and yacht clubs. 

The Nacre 17 is the only sailing class where both men and women compete equally. It is good to note that all the other classes are segregated by gender. 

7. Badminton 

Badminton is a racquet sport where competitors hit a shuttlecock across a net using racquets. It developed from the earlier game of battledore and shuttlecock. 

Badminton requires excellent fitness, good motor coordination and the development of sophisticated racquet movements. 

The sport holds separate male and female competitions. However, there are events where men and women compete as male/and female duos. 

8. Ice Skating 

Ice skating is a sport where competitors glide around an ice surface on blades attached to the bottom of a shoe-life skate product. 

Male/female pairs compete together while performing a dance on the ice. It is a popular Olympic sport with a large number of fans. 

Ice skating was one of the most watched Olympic events of all time when Dean and Torvill won the gold medal in 1984. 

Apart from being a sport, ice skating is a fun way to spend your free time with family and friends. While gliding around the ice surface, it is a requirement for the skaters to keep their heads up so as to be safe.

Ice skating. Photo/ KOLD.