Stuff You Missed in History Class Notable Early Women Olympians
5 snips
Feb 4, 2026 A lively look at the first women to compete at the modern Games and the sports that admitted them in 1900. Stories include a pioneering sailor who raced for Switzerland and a teenage equestrian barred from competition. The episode follows the rise of organized women's sport through Alice Milliat and the pressure that forced Olympic bodies to expand opportunities.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Early Women Were Narrowly Included
- Women first competed at the 1900 Paris Olympics but only in five sports: croquet, equestrianism, golf, sailing, and tennis.
- Pierre de Coubertin opposed women in the Games, yet women slipped in despite his resistance.
Hélène De Pourtalès’ Murky Gold
- Hélène de Pourtalès (born Hélène Barbé) sailed for Switzerland at the 1900 Games and won the one-to-two ton race as part of a team.
- Confusion over entries, race formats, and prizes has long obscured her status as possibly the first female Olympic gold medalist.
Teenage Rider Barred From Pentathlon
- Dorothy Helen Preece, a teenage British equestrian, applied to compete in the 1912 modern pentathlon alongside men.
- The Swedish committee voted to bar her, and Coubertin publicly opposed women in the Games.
