1922 Women’s Olympics: A Historic Event in Paris

It was 1922, two years prior to the Paris Olympics. On a sunny August day, around 20,000 spectators gathered at Pershing Stadium to witness 77 female athletes competing in track and field events, with a notable team representing the United States. The atmosphere was vibrant, with a colorful parade of nations and the setting of new world records.

Despite the grandeur of the event, only 27 journalists covered it, and the mainstream Olympics, focused on the upcoming 1924 Paris Games, largely overlooked this groundbreaking occurrence.

The driving force behind the 1922 Women’s Olympics was a remarkable woman named Alice Milliat. Aged 38 at the time, she was the visionary founder of the International Women’s Sports Federation, known as the Fédération Sportive Féminine International in France. She boldly declared the event open, emphasizing its significance by stating, “I hereby declare the first female Olympic Games open.”

Every participant in the 1922 Women’s Olympics was a woman, challenging the prevailing notion that women were not fit for competitive sports. This event marked a pivotal moment in promoting gender equality in sports.

• Key Highlights:
• British athlete Nora Callebout emerged as a standout performer, clinching an impressive six medals.
• Marie Mejzlikova, a talented athlete from Czechoslovakia, set records in sprinting and long jump, leaving a lasting impact on the games.