Graceful Women competing in the Queen Marys Highland Games. Movements for the rights

These ancient games are a pre-cursor to the modern Olympics, and they’re all about brute strength, agility, skills and throwing really, really heavy things really, really far and high. Women and men compete at annual Scots Festival & International Highland Games at the Queen Mary in Long Beach this weekend. They compete in various events including the caber toss, the hammer throw, sheaf toss and putting the shot, the latter of which is similar to the traditional track and field shot put. The competition at the Queen Mary, which was constructed in Clydebank, Scotland, in the 1930s, also includes a celebration of all things Scottish with Highland dancing, bagpipers, Scottish clans and vendors, plus traditional foods such as bangers and mash, smoked salmon and haggis served throughout the celebration. But the games are what it’s all about. So to get into the competition, here are several female athletes to keep your eye on throughout the weekend. Sunday, March 8, International Women's Day 2020