Despite Pierre de Coubertin's vision of the Olympics being for male athletes only, women did participate in the games starting in 1900. But the road to equal participation was long and filled with disappointments.

Research:
Barker, Philip. “Women’s Sporting Pioneer Milliat Remembered At Paris 2024.” International Society of Olympic Historians. https://isoh.org/womens-sporting-pioneer-milliat-remembered-at-paris-2024/
Branch, John. “They Called It ‘Improper’ to Have Women in the Olympics. But She Persisted.” New York Times. July 11, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/10/olympics-women-milliat.html
Camps Y Wilant, Natalie and George Hirthler. “The rationale behind Coubertin's opposition to women competing in the Olympic Games.” International Olympic Committee. https://www.olympics.com/ioc/pierre-de-coubertin/the-rationale-behind-coubertins-opposition-to-women-competing-in-the-olympic-games
Coubertin, Pierre de, et al., edited by the International Olympic Committee. “Olympism: selected writings / Pierre de Coubertin.” 2000. https://library.olympics.com/Default/doc/SYRACUSE/65192/olympism-selected-writings-pierre-de-coubertin
Gillen, Nancy. “La Vie Jamais Racontée: Alice Milliat, a French Heroine and Sporting Suffragette.” Pitch Publishing. 2024. 
“Girl of 15 Is Only Woman Entrant in Olympic Games.” Democrat and Chrinicle. July 7, 1912. https://www.newspapers.com/image/135686582/?match=1&terms=helen%20preece
Leigh, Mary H., and Thérèse M. Bonin. “The Pioneering Role Of Madame Alice Milliat and the FSFI in Establishing International Trade and Field Competition for Women.” Journal of Sport History, vol. 4, no. 1, 1977, pp. 72–83. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43611530
Lennartz, Karl, and Walter Teutenberg. “THE COUNTESS DE POURTALES - AFTER ALL THE FIRST MODERN FEMALE OLYMPIC STARTER.” International Society of Olympic Historians. https://isoh.org/wp-content/uploads/JOH-Archives/JOHv4n2e.pdf
Lough, Tom, et al. “’A possibility of a lady competitor’: Helen Preece and the 1912 Olympic modern pentathlon.” Journal of Olympic History. 2021. https://library.olympics.com/Default/doc/SYRACUSE/3156581/a-possibility-of-a-lady-competitor-helen-preece-and-the-1912-olympic-modern-pentathlon-by-tom-lough-?_lg=en-GB
McSweeney, Megan. “Women’s History Spotlight: Hélène de Pourtalès.” Sail. March 4, 2022. https://sailmagazine.com/web-exclusives/womens-history-spotlight-helene-de-pourtales/
Mallon, Bill. “The 1900 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary. McFarland. 2009.
Married to Instructor at Her School.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Dec. 18, 1934. https://www.newspapers.com/image/139260559/?clipping_id=15003174&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjEzOTI2MDU1OSwiaWF0IjoxNzY5NDYyNzQ2LCJleHAiOjE3Njk1NDkxNDZ9.Lyc2T8nmqG9SxDg4PVDUDy6zfD_710wD6wKDLrIIC-dt72QRLBeUb8SruN75BdgtucDfcSzfYx8UgqVgqY57vw
“Paris 1900 Olympic Poster.” Qatar Museums. https://collections.qm.org.qa/en/objects/paris-1900-olympic-poster-qosm20136233
“Personalities at the Olympia Horse Show.” The Sphere (London). June 18, 1910. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1149409173/?match=1&terms=%22Helen%20Preece%22
“The Queen and the Girl Rider.” Telegraph and Argus. March 12, 1910. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1219683551/?match=1&terms=%22Helen%20Preece%22
“Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics (includes text of A Review of Olympic Yachting – 1900; by Ian Buchanan).” Olympedia. https://www.olympedia.org/editions/2/sports/SAL
“Sues to Have Girl Cease Using Her Name.” The Tampa Times. July 13, 1915. https://www.newspapers.com/image/325742028/?clipping_id=15002352&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjMyNTc0MjAyOCwiaWF0IjoxNzY5NDYyNzQxLCJleHAiOjE3Njk1NDkxNDF9.McrNQr7AvEveo5cVIJdb4lYPetsUxCr-RW1Nn7W70PGKwC7FacJsU23KT0eewZT8zHm55Jkblmm-lc7dUKPslw
Vuilleumier, Christophe. “The First Female Olympic Champion.” Swiss National Museum. Dec. 17, 2025. https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/en/2021/07/the-first-female-olympic-champion/
“Winner of Polo Pony Jumping Competition.” Daily Mirror. March 15, 1909. https://www.newspapers.com/image/789742337/?match=1&terms=%22Helen%20Preece%22

 

Despite Pierre de Coubertin's vision of the Olympics being for male athletes only, women did participate in the games starting in 1900. But the road to equal participation was long and filled with disappointments.
Research:
<ul>
<li>Barker, Philip. &ldquo;Women&rsquo;s Sporting Pioneer Milliat Remembered At Paris 2024.&rdquo; International Society of Olympic Historians. https://isoh.org/womens-sporting-pioneer-milliat-remembered-at-paris-2024/</li>
<li>Branch, John. &ldquo;They Called It &lsquo;Improper&rsquo; to Have Women in the Olympics. But She Persisted.&rdquo; New York Times. July 11, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/10/olympics-women-milliat.html</li>
<li>Camps Y Wilant, Natalie and George Hirthler. &ldquo;The rationale behind Coubertin's opposition to women competing in the Olympic Games.&rdquo; International Olympic Committee. https://www.olympics.com/ioc/pierre-de-coubertin/the-rationale-behind-coubertins-opposition-to-women-competing-in-the-olympic-games</li>
<li>Coubertin, Pierre de, et al., edited by the International Olympic Committee. &ldquo;Olympism: selected writings / Pierre de Coubertin.&rdquo; 2000. https://library.olympics.com/Default/doc/SYRACUSE/65192/olympism-selected-writings-pierre-de-coubertin</li>
<li>Gillen, Nancy. &ldquo;La Vie Jamais Racont&eacute;e: Alice Milliat, a French Heroine and Sporting Suffragette.&rdquo; Pitch Publishing. 2024. </li>
<li>&ldquo;Girl of 15 Is Only Woman Entrant in Olympic Games.&rdquo; Democrat and Chrinicle. July 7, 1912. https://www.newspapers.com/image/135686582/?match=1&amp;terms=helen%20preece</li>
<li>Leigh, Mary H., and Th&eacute;r&egrave;se M. Bonin. &ldquo;The Pioneering Role Of Madame Alice Milliat and the FSFI in Establishing International Trade and Field Competition for Women.&rdquo; Journal of Sport History, vol. 4, no. 1, 1977, pp. 72&ndash;83. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43611530</li>
<li>Lennartz, Karl, and Walter Teutenberg. &ldquo;THE COUNTESS DE POURTALES - AFTER ALL THE FIRST MODERN FEMALE OLYMPIC STARTER.&rdquo; International Society of Olympic Historians. https://isoh.org/wp-content/uploads/JOH-Archives/JOHv4n2e.pdf</li>
<li>Lough, Tom, et al. &ldquo;&rsquo;A possibility of a lady competitor&rsquo;: Helen Preece and the 1912 Olympic modern pentathlon.&rdquo; Journal of Olympic History. 2021. https://library.olympics.com/Default/doc/SYRACUSE/3156581/a-possibility-of-a-lady-competitor-helen-preece-and-the-1912-olympic-modern-pentathlon-by-tom-lough-?_lg=en-GB</li>
<li>McSweeney, Megan. &ldquo;Women&rsquo;s History Spotlight: H&eacute;l&egrave;ne de Pourtal&egrave;s.&rdquo; Sail. March 4, 2022. https://sailmagazine.com/web-exclusives/womens-history-spotlight-helene-de-pourtales/</li>
<li>Mallon, Bill. &ldquo;The 1900 Olympic Games:&nbsp;Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary. McFarland. 2009.</li>
<li>Married to Instructor at Her School.&rdquo; St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Dec. 18, 1934. https://www.newspapers.com/image/139260559/?clipping_id=15003174&amp;fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjEzOTI2MDU1OSwiaWF0IjoxNzY5NDYyNzQ2LCJleHAiOjE3Njk1NDkxNDZ9.Lyc2T8nmqG9SxDg4PVDUDy6zfD_710wD6wKDLrIIC-dt72QRLBeUb8SruN75BdgtucDfcSzfYx8UgqVgqY57vw</li>
<li>&ldquo;Paris 1900 Olympic Poster.&rdquo; Qatar Museums. https://collections.qm.org.qa/en/objects/paris-1900-olympic-poster-qosm20136233</li>
<li>&ldquo;Personalities at the Olympia Horse Show.&rdquo; The Sphere (London). June 18, 1910. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1149409173/?match=1&amp;terms=%22Helen%20Preece%22</li>
<li>&ldquo;The Queen and the Girl Rider.&rdquo; Telegraph and Argus. March 12, 1910. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1219683551/?match=1&amp;terms=%22Helen%20Preece%22</li>
<li>&ldquo;Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics (includes text of A Review of Olympic Yachting &ndash; 1900; by Ian Buchanan).&rdquo; Olympedia. https://www.olympedia.org/editions/2/sports/SAL</li>
<li>&ldquo;Sues to Have Girl Cease Using Her Name.&rdquo; The Tampa Times. July 13, 1915. https://www.newspapers.com/image/325742028/?clipping_id=15002352&amp;fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjMyNTc0MjAyOCwiaWF0IjoxNzY5NDYyNzQxLCJleHAiOjE3Njk1NDkxNDF9.McrNQr7AvEveo5cVIJdb4lYPetsUxCr-RW1Nn7W70PGKwC7FacJsU23KT0eewZT8zHm55Jkblmm-lc7dUKPslw</li>
<li>Vuilleumier, Christophe. &ldquo;The First Female Olympic Champion.&rdquo; Swiss National Museum. Dec. 17, 2025. https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/en/2021/07/the-first-female-olympic-champion/</li>
<li>&ldquo;Winner of Polo Pony Jumping Competition.&rdquo; Daily Mirror. March 15, 1909. https://www.newspapers.com/image/789742337/?match=1&amp;terms=%22Helen%20Preece%22</li>
</ul>
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Stuff You Missed in History Class

Despite Pierre de Coubertin's vision of the Olympics being for male athletes only, women did participate in the games starting in 1900. But the road to equal participation was long and filled with disappointments.

Notable Early Women Olympians

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