MARGO INSPIRES AND EMPOWERS FEMALE ATHLETES
Receiving an award in the 2023 Sunshine Coast Sports Awards was a career highlight for Margo Mackintosh. By being recognised amidst esteemed athletes in the Sunshine Coast’s vibrant sporting community was humbling for her.
"My hope is that my story encourages other female athletes of all ages to keep chasing their goals, no matter their stage in life" – Margo Mackintosh
Unfortunately, Margo’s 2024 sporting year did not start as she had hoped, with injuries keeping her sidelined for the beginning of the year. However, the recognition from the Sunshine Coast Sports Awards has kept the fire alive within her, giving her drive to continue working towards competing at her best level once again.
Whilst her focus has shifted into rehabilitation and getting ‘injury-proof’ over the past few months, Margo has used the time to give back to the sports that enrich her life. She spent the first half of 2024 mentoring a group of novice runners to complete their first half and full marathons and assisted in Grace Brimelow’s cycling preparation for her Paralympic qualification races.
Margo is channelling her recognition into her passions and goals for 2024. She has been able to subsidise her travel and entry fees to compete in her first ultra-trail run at the Taupo Ultramarathon (70km) in October.
"I am excited to be able to continue to push my physical and mental limits in different ways,” Margo said.
“I am using 2024 as a year to explore different distances and events before refocusing my attention on some bigger triathlon goals in 2025."
In addition to her athletic goals, Margo has been instrumental in promoting female athlete health. She initiated and assisted in delivering a workshop on Female Athlete Health (Body Confidence & Understanding The Female Menstrual Cycle) for coaches and sports personnel within the schoolgirls’ sporting association she manages. The success of this workshop and the incredible feedback from attendees led to further funding, securing a series of similar workshops covering a range of topics that affect girls' participation in sport.
“Fostering training environments that keep females involved in sport is a topic I am intensely passionate about. Receiving the financial assistance to catalyst this initiative is invaluable.”
Despite her injury setbacks, Margo celebrated overall female wins at the 5-Peaks 26km Trail Race, Pichi Richi Half Marathon, and 24km Mt Misery Trail Race in South Australia in May and July. She acknowledges that the comeback is always better than the setback and looks forward to realising more goals in the not-too-distant future.
Margo’s journey is a testament to make the best out of a bad situation by giving back to the community. She is an inspiration to other athletes and encourages them to pursue their dreams and make connections and impacts on their communities. Follow her journey and stay updated on her successes through her Instagram @margomackintosh_.
Margo won both Sunshine Coast Sports Athlete of the Year and Master Athlete of the Year in 2023!
The Sunshine Coast Sports Winter Season Nominations are NOW OPEN—this is your opportunity to nominate a standout sportsperson in the local community.
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Image Provided by: Margo Mackintosh.
Article Written by: Abbey Harris | 8020 Partners
