Good News Friday: IndyCar, Blue Angels and FIFA
A first for IndyCar
Dr. Julia Vaizer, an assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine, has been appointed the first female medical chief for IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dr Julia will take the new position next season after the series' longtime medical director, Dr. Geoffrey Billows decided to step down.
“Dr. Billows has been a friend, a mentor, a teacher and like family to me," Dr Julia said. “It’s a huge honour to be chosen to carry on his legacy. It fills me with inspiration. I know I will work really hard to continue doing what he established as one of the most successful medical teams in the world of motorsports. I cannot wait for the next chapter and see how we can continue to improve the field of motorsports medicine for the next generation to come."
Famed female
Lt. Amanda Lee has made history as the first woman in 76 years history to participate in the Navy’s famed Blue Angels aerial demonstration. Lt. Amanda is expected to report to the Blue Angels in autumn and will train with the squadron throughout the winter.
“When I come into the ready room right now, I’m a pilot first, a person second, and my gender really isn’t an issue,” Lee said in an interview released by the Navy at the time. “It’s people like Capt. Mariner that have paved that way for us, so it’s really a huge honour. I’m super humbled to be a part of this flyover in her honour.”
A FIFA first
Chelsea striker Sam Kerr will be the first woman to appear on the global cover of EA Sports' FIFA football game. On the FIFA 23 cover, Sam will pose alongside Paris St-Germain and France striker Kylian Mbappe.
In a social post, a video game developer from EA Sports wrote: “Two phenomenal forces up front. One ultimate strike partnership."
