Margaret Abbott, the first American woman to win an Olympic event, passed away at 76 without knowledge of her groundbreaking achievement.
The 1900 Paris Games were the first to include women, but were so new and disorganized that Abbott spent her life believing she had won a local golf tournament. The fact that her prize was a porcelain bowl rather than a gold medal didn’t help.
Decades later, Paula Welch, now a retired professor at the University of Florida, uncovered Abbott’s historic win. Even Abbott’s son, Philip Dunne, was surprised by this revelation.
“Learning that your mother was an Olympic champion, over 80 years after it happened, is not something that happens every day,” Dunne wrote in a 1984 Golf Digest article.
Female competitors in the 2024 Paris Games will not have such confusion around their achievements. Whether it’s Simone Biles, Sha’Carri Richardson, or Katie Ledecky, their triumphs will be instant international media sensations.
These Games mark a stark contrast from the limited female participation in the 1900 competition where only 22 out of 997 athletes were women. Today, female athletes are equally celebrated and recognized in the Olympics. The 2024 Paris Games will feature as many female athletes as male.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee, a prominent figure in the 1980s and ’90s, understands the significance of this era in women’s sports. She is eager to pass on her wisdom to the next generation.
Fast forward to the current Olympic era, where stars like Biles, Richardson, Ledecky, and Suni Lee are poised to make headlines in Paris. The U.S. women’s teams in basketball, water polo, and soccer are also ready to shine.
Joyner-Kersee knows firsthand how transformative Olympic success can be and is committed to mentoring the next wave of athletes.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee dominated in the heptathlon Olympic event in the 1980s and ’90s. (H. Darr Beiser / Imagn Content Services, LLC via USA Today)
Wilma Rudolph, the breakout star of the 1960 Summer Games, mentored Joyner-Kersee after the 1984 Olympics, guiding her through the challenges of life beyond sports.
Today, a new generation of athletes like Anna Hall are benefiting from mentorship experiences with Joyner-Kersee, setting the stage for their own Olympic success.
Laflin’s book, “In a League of Her Own: Celebrating Female Firsts in Sports,” sheds light on the trailblazers who paved the way for the current era of women’s athletics.
Mary Lou Retton became the first American gymnast to win an Olympic individual all-around gold in Los Angeles in 1984. (Jerry Cooke / Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Joyner-Kersee’s legacy as an Olympic champion extends beyond the medalist podium. She continues to inspire and empower the next generation of athletes, ensuring that the growth of women in sports continues.
As female athletes prepare to dominate the 2024 Paris Games, Joyner-Kersee’s trailblazing spirit lives on in their endeavors.
(Illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; photos: Jamie Squire and David Madison / Getty Images)