Women remembered for their sporting achievement

THE first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896, but it was not until four years later that women were allowed to compete – then, only in the lawn tennis and golf events.

English tennis player Charlotte Cooper was the first female Olympic champion, winning the tennis singles competition in the 1900 Paris Games.

Women competed in swimming events for the first time in 1912, with Australian Sarah “Fanny” Durack winning the 100m freestyle event.

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Track and field events were opened to women in 1928 but after several competitors collapsed at the end of the 800m race, it was banned until 1960.

In 1948, Dutch athlete Fanny Blankers-Koen won four gold medals, making her the most successful athlete at the London Games and earning her the nickname “the Flying Housewife”.

British Equestrian Lorna Johnstone became the oldest female competitor to take part in the Olympics when she entered the dressage at the 1972 Games in Munich at the age of 70.

Women’s shooting events were included in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, a year which also saw the first women’s marathon, won by American Joan Benoit.

Soviet gymnast Maria Gorokhovskaya set the record for most medals won by a woman in one Olympics, with two golds and five silvers at Helsinki.

American Margaret Murdock became the first woman to win a medal at shooting when she won a silver in the rifle competition in Montreal, 1976.

Weightlifting was opened to women at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

London will see women boxers compete for the first time.

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