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| - Features Editors: Paris: Kate Millar +33 1 4041 4636 Hong Kong: Liz Thomas +852 2829 6211 Twitter: @AFPfeature Ahead of International Women's Day on March 8, and five months before the Olympic Games in Tokyo, we turn the spotlight on four sportswomen from three generations who speak about the battle against abuse or discrimination in sport and the drive for equality and success at the top of their disciplines: + Venezuelan punching for equality in and out of the ring + US Olympic champion, a rape survivor, fights abuse in sport + First female race engineer lights up fast lane for women + 'Pushing the limits' as world freeride champion Women-rights-Venezuela-boxing,INTERVIEW CARACAS Venezuelan boxer Tayonis Cedeno has a message for women and girls the world over -- believe in yourself and you can break down any barrier. 450 words by Esteban Rojas. Pictures by Federico Parra. Video by Yorman Maldonado and Hirsaid Gomez Women-rights-USA-swim-abuse-assault,INTERVIEW NEW YORK Three years after being raped by a stranger, American swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Makar lit up the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles by winning three gold medals and a silver. Today, the 57-year-old lawyer, mother and activist devotes her life towards the fight for gender equality and battling against sexual abuse in sport. 700 words by Thomas Urbain. File picture Women-rights-auto-engineer,Q&A PARIS Leena Gade broke the mould in motor racing in 2011 when she became the first female race engineer to lead a team to victory at Le Mans. And just to show it was not a fluke, the Briton did it again with the same Audi team at motor racing's premier endurance event in 2012 and 2014. 450 words by Raphaelle Peltier Women-rights-ski-Haerty,INTERVIEW ORDINO, Andorra When Marion Haerty was a child, she saw her brother snowboarding and dreamed of following in his footsteps. Today, she is the world freeride champion and a groundbreaking star in a breathtaking sport. 500 words by Delphine Paysant. Pictures by Lionel Bonaventure afp
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