Every first Wednesday or Friday of February each year, we dedicate the day to women and girls who participate in sports. This year, it landed on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. The day aims to raise awareness of the progress that women have made in sports and the opportunities given to them. Celebrations, presentations, award ceremonies and events are held all across the country to highlight its importance.
The first time women’s sports were featured dates back to the 1900 Paris Olympic Games. Women were allowed to participate in sports like sailing, golf, tennis, equestrian and croquet. Of the 997 competitors, 22 were women. Surprisingly, of the 22 women who participated, eight of them placed or won in their specific event:
Hélène de Pourtalès, from Switzerland, won gold in sailing.
Margaret Abbott, from the United States, won gold in golf.
Pauline Whittier, from the United States, won silver in golf.
Marion Jones, from the United States, won bronze (singles) and bronze (mixed doubles) in tennis.
Abbie Pratt, from the United States, won bronze in golf.
Hedwig Rosenbaum, from Bohemia, won bronze in tennis.
Hélène Prévost, from France, won silver in tennis.
Charlotte Cooper, from Great Britain, won gold (singles) and gold (mixed doubles) in tennis.
The 1900 Olympics were a huge success at the beginning of a 124-year journey to gender equality in the Olympic movement.
National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) was created in 1987. Its main purpose was to honor the achievements of female athletes and the passing of the 1972 Title IX, as well as advocatingfor equality in sports. Another significant influence on NGWSD was honoring Flo Hyman, also known as “The Queen of Volleyball.” She was an American volleyball player, Olympic silver medalist and professional volleyball player in Japan, where she unexpectedly died during a match.
Since the 1900 Olympics, women in sports have made stupendous progress, going from 2.2% women competitors in 1900 to a full 50/50 gender ratio at the 2024 Olympic Games. Over the last 124 years, women have moved from “ladylike” sports like tennis and golf to participating in male-dominated sports like boxing and rugby.
