From “wretched” to “winners”: Celebrating the 100th anniversary of female athletes being allowed to compete in the Olympics

This week marks the centenary of athletics officials reluctantly voting to let women compete in the Games. This is the story of how early female athletes defied institutional sexism to run the world

A hundred years ago in The Hague, the great and good of world athletics changed their sport forever.

“It was decided to include in the programme of the 1928 Olympic Games, events in athletics sports reserved for women,” a resolution stated.

World Athletics was then known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation and led by future International Olym…