Participation of women in the Olympics 20% minimum presence of women on their committee. The first Olympic Games to feature female athletes was the 1900 Games in Paris. Hélène de Pourtalès of Switzerland became the first woman to compete at the Olympic Games and became the first female Olympic champion by being a part of the winning team in the first 1 to 2 ton sailing event on May 22, 1900. Briton Charlotte Cooper became the first female individual champion by winning the women's singles tennis competition on July 11, 1900. Tennis and golf were the only sports where women could compete in individual disciplines. 22
Participation of women in the Olympics At the Summer Games of the same year held in Helsinki, women were allowed to compete in equestrian for the first time. They competed in the dressage event which was co-ed with the men. Danish equestrian Lis Hartel of Denmark won the silver medal in the individual competition alongside men. At the 1956 Winter Olympics held in Cortina d'Ampezzo, the 3 × 5 kilometre relay cross country event was added to the programme. The 1956 Summer Games held in Melbourne, had a programme identical to that of the prior Olympiad. The 1960 Winter Olympics held in Squaw Valley saw the