Sport

Women's World Cup: Matildas goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold helps shed light on hearing loss for rising athletes

Mackenzie Arnold has won millions of fans across the country thanks to her star turn as the Matildas goalkeeper at the Women's World Cup.

But what many new fans might not know is that Arnold lives with hearing loss.

It has helped thrust the Deaf and hard of hearing community into the spotlight and provided a high profile role model for many.

That includes 21-year-old Breanna Doncovski, who has qualified for the Australian Women's Deaf Football team.

"Football is just fun, and a team-based sport is definitely my forte," Doncovski said.

"The team is an amazing bunch of girls and I can't believe I found them. I finally found my Deaf community."

Doncovski has lived with severe hearing loss since birth.

The Australian Women's Deaf Football team was due to fly to Kuala Lumpur this September for their equivalent of the World Cup, but due to a lack of funding, the opportunity has fallen through.

"It was pretty blindsiding," Doncovski said.

"Going to Malaysia would have been a dream come true, to play at an international level, whilst also being deaf."

Doncovski, however, became hopeful for the future of Deaf football in Australia after Arnold announced her hearing loss to the world via social media earlier this year.

"[It] could absolutely turn tables for us and make everything possible," Doncovski said.

Government data shows one in six Australians are living with hearing loss, with Arnold —whose older brother wears a hearing aid — being one of them.

In April, Arnold was tested and fitted with her first hearing aids, which she posted to Instagram.

It was a life changing day for her, and even though it is taking time to get used to wearing them, Arnold said she is grateful for the adjustment.

She doesn't wear the hearing aids when she is playing football but wearing them off the pitch has helped her feel more confident in herself.

"I'm a lot more aware and connected," she said.

This is something Doncovski can relate to.

"I find if my hearing aid dies, my balance, my mind game, everything is thrown off immediately," she said.

Arnold is certainly raising the profile of athletes with hearing loss, but she isn't the only one to compete in mainstream sport.

Melinda Vernon has been deaf since birth and has medalled multiple times at the Deaflympics in athletics, and has competed in Sydney's City to Surf and mainstream World Cross Country Championships.

Vernon said that Arnold talking about her journey may help other Deaf and hard of hearing people feel not so alone.

"Obviously we all have different journeys," Vernon said.

"Hopefully it starts getting the hearing community thinking and asking questions of Deaf people, so they can learn more."

David Brady, who is the chair of Deafness Forum Australia, agrees.

"Australia is behind the world in having a conversation about hearing loss," he said.

Brady, who has also competed in Deaf and mainstream sport, said Arnold playing at the World Cup showed pathways to the top of mainstream sport are possible.

"Sport is a great leveller in terms of opening conversations with people about deafness," he said.

"You do not have to let your hearing loss hold you back."

For many women athletes, it is not their impairment that is holding them back, but the lack of funding in Deaf sport.

Chris Golding from Deaf Football Australia said it was a hard decision to pull the Australian Women's Deaf Football team out of the World Deaf Football Championships in Malaysia later this year.

"Our fundraising effort was not fast enough to support the girls going over," Golding said.

"I personally was super excited to see them play, particularly this year with the Matildas doing so well."

Golding said the team is growing and he hopes Arnold's success will create more support for Deaf football.