Timeline - History of women in sport

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This thematic timeline contains 189 entries

1784

Elizabeth Thible, Lyons, France, was the first woman to travel by hot air balloon More about: ballooning More about: hot air balloon More about: women

1804

Alicia Meynell, England was the first female jockey More about: horse racing More about: women More about: jockeys

1858

Julia Archibald Holmes (1838-87) climbs Pikes Peak in Colorado (14,110 feet) wearing bloomers on Aug. 5 More about: mountaineering More about: women More about: sports personalities

1867

St. Andrew's in Scotland is the first ladies golf club More about: golf More about: women

1869

First women's croquet championship is held in England and won by a Mrs. Joad More about: croquet More about: women

1876

Maria Speltarini crosses Niagara Falls on a tightrope in July, wearing 38 pound weights on each ankle More about: women

1876

Nell Saunders defeated Rose Harland in the first United States women's boxing match, receiving a silver butter dish as a prize More about: boxing More about: women More about: sports personalities

1881

Bell Cook of California and Emma Jewett of Minnesota toured the country, competing in a series of 20 mile horse races More about: women More about: horse racing

1881

Edith Johnson of England sets the world's endurance indoor swimming record at 31 hours. The record holds until 1928 More about: swimming More about: women More about: record

1882

At the YWCA in Boston, the first athletic games for women are held More about: athletics More about: women

1885

Annie Oakley (Phoebe Ann Moses, 1860-1926), 25, is the sharp-shooting star of the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show. She could hit a moving target while riding a galloping horse; hit a dime in mid-air; and regularly shot a cigarette from her husband's lips. More about: women More about: sports personalities

1887

Charlotte 'Lottie' Dod, the “Little Wonder”, won Wimbledon for the first time More about: women More about: tennis More about: sports personalities

1890

Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochran Seaman) becomes the first woman to travel around the world alone - she does it in just 72 days while a reporter for the New York World newspaper, returning on Jan. 25. More about: sports personalities More about: women

1892

Hessie Donahue, who donned a loose blouse, bloomers and boxing gloves and sparred a few rounds as part of a vaudeville act, knocks out legendary heavyweight champion John L. Sullivan for over a minute after he accidentally landed a real blow on her during the act More about: boxing More about: women More about: sports personalities

1893

16 year old Tessie Reynonds of Brighton rides her bicycle to London and back, a distance of 120 miles, in 8.5 hours. She wore the shocking "rationale" dress - a long jacket over knickers, which outraged some observers as much as her feat More about: cycling More about: women More about: sports personalities

1893

Formation of the Ladies Golf Union which sponsors the first British Ladies' championship, won by Lady Margaret Scott. More about: golf More about: women More about: sports personalities

1895

Annie Smith Peck is the first woman to reach the peak of the Matterhorn. She climbed in a pair of knickerbockers, causing a sensation with the press. She helped to found the American Alpine Club in 1902 More about: mountaineering More about: women More about: sports personalities

1897

Lena Jordan becomes the first person to successfully execute the triple somersault on the flying trapeze. The first man to acomplish this didn't do so until 1909 More about: women

1898

Lizzie Arlington becomes the first woman to sign a professional baseball contract, appearing in her first professional game pitching for the Philadelphia Reserves More about: baseball More about: women

1898

Three women create a stir when they compete in a "century run" endurance contest in bicyling. Irene Bush of Brooklyn rides 400 miles in 48 hours; Jane Yatman of Brooklyn rides 500 miles in 58 hours; and Jane Lindsay rides 600 miles in 72 hours More about: cycling More about: women

1899

Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Dod became the star player and captain of a women's field hockey team she had helped founding. She was selected for the English national team, and played two matches, both against Ireland, in 1899 and 1900. In the latter match, she scored both English goals in the 2-1 win More about: women More about: hockey More about: sports personalities

1902

Britian's Madge Syers opens the door for women figure skaters when she enters the all male 1902 world championships and places second. Her second place finish causes officials to ban women from the championships until 1905 when a separate ladies event is held More about: figure skating More about: women

1906

Skater Madge Syers becoms the first female world figure skating champion, repeating in 1907 More about: figure skating More about: women

1910

Blanche Stuart Scott, 19, becomes the first woman to fly a plane solo in Hammondsport, NY on Sept. 2 More about: flying More about: women

1910

Australia's Annette Kellerman is arrested for swimming in Boston Harbor in an "indecent" one-piece swimsuit for exposing her legs More about: swimming More about: women More about: Australia

1911

Annie Smith Peck plants a "Votes for Women" banner on top of Mt. Coropuna in Peru when she becomes the first woman to climb it (at the age of 61). More about: mountaineering More about: women

1911

The first women's flying school is founded in France, run by qualified pilot Jane Herveux More about: flying More about: women More about: France

1914

Miss Georgia "Tiny" Broadwick; demonstrating air jumping techniques to the US Army in San Diego, CA, pulled her release manually, becoming the first person to make an intentional free fall parachute jump from an airplane on June 21 More about: parachute More about: women More about: US

1916

A group of 40 women form the Women's International Bowling Congress, which will become the oldest and largest women's sports organisation in the world More about: bowling More about: women

1916

Sisters Adeline and Augusta Van Buren become the first women to ride motorcycles across the country, leaving Brooklyn on July 5 and arriving in San Francisco on Sept. 12. They are also the first women to conquer the 14,100 foot summit of Pikes Peak on motorcycles More about: motor sports More about: women

1917

Lucy Diggs Slowe wins the singles title at the first American Tennis Association (ATA) national tournament, becoming the first female African-American national champion in any sport More about: tennis More about: women

1918

Eleanora Sears (a great-great-granddaughter of Thomas Jeffersonborn in 1881) takes up squash, after excelling at polo (which she rode astride, shocking conventions of the day), baseball, golf, field hockey, auto racing, swimming, tennis, yachting and speedboat racing. She accumulated 240 trophies during her athletic career. She demonstrated that women could play men's games and was a prime liberator of women in sports More about: women More about: sports performance More about: achieving excellence

1920

At the Summer Olympics, France's Suzanne Lenglen abandoned the customary tennis garb for a short, pleated skirt, sleeveless silk blouse, and matching sweater. She won two gold and a bronze medal and became the first female celebrity athlete More about: Olympics More about: tennis More about: women

1924

Sybil Bauer becomes the first woman to break an existing men's world swimming record when she won the 100 metre backstroke in 1:23.2 at the Olympic Games More about: Olympics More about: Olympic summer games More about: women

1926

The first national speed skating championships for women are held by the Amateur Skating Union More about: speed skating More about: women

1926

Gertrude Ederle becomes the first woman to swim the English channel More about: swimming More about: women

1928

Women allowed to compete in Olympic track and field events. Official rules stipulate that women wear shorts that came with in about 4 inches of the knee. American Betty Robinson becomes the first woman to win a gold medal in track and field at the Olympics for the 100 metre race More about: Olympics More about: Olympic summer games More about: women

1931

Lili de Alvarez shocks social propriety by playing at Wimbledon in shorts instead of the longish, hampering dresses that were the de rigueur tennis dress on June 24 More about: tennis More about: Wimbledon More about: women

1931

The first international women's archery competition is held. Janina Spychajowa- Kurkowska of Poland wins the women's singles title. She won six more world titles in archery, more than any other man or woman in history More about: archery More about: women

1931

Women begin competing in skiing events at the world championships sponsored by the International Ski Federation More about: skiing More about: women

1931

Babe Didrikson Zaharias is named the top woman athlete in the US for 1931 More about: women More about: athletics

1931

Baseball Commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis bans women from professional baseball (the bans lasts until 1992), after 17 year old pitcher Virne Beatrice "Jackie" Mitchell strikes out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in an exhibition game for the Chattanooga Lookouts. Landis voids Mitchell's contract, saying baseball is "too strenuous" for women More about: women More about: baseball

1932

Jacqueline Cochran gets her pilot's license after two and a half weeks of flight lessons. At her death in 1980 she held more speed, altitude, and distance records than any pilot, male or female, in the world More about: flying More about: women

1934

Phyllis Dewar of Moose Jaw becomes the first Canadian woman to win four gold medals for swimming at the 1934 British Empire Games, a record that stands until 1966 More about: swimming More about: women

1936

American swimmer Marjorie Gestring becomes the youngest ever Olympic gold medalist (in springboard diving) at age 13 yrs. 9 months More about: Olympics More about: Olympic summer games More about: women

1937

Conchita Cintron (born Chile 1922) begins fighting bulls in Mexico at age 15. During her 13 year career she slew 800 bulls. She retired in 1951. She is recognised as the first woman to compete at a high professional level as a bullfighter More about: bull fighting More about: women More about: blood sports

1943

First women's professional baseball league is formed, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League More about: baseball More about: women

1946

The Women's Professional Golf Association is formed. Patty Berg wins $1,500 in the first US Women's Golf Open More about: golf More about: women More about: US

1950

Florence Chadwick, 31, swims the English Channel, beating the record set by Gertrude Ederle in 1926 More about: swimming More about: women

1951

Babe Zaharias sets a one year earnings record for women golfers with $14,800 in winnings More about: golf More about: women

1951

Florence Chadwick, a 32 year old typist from California, becomes the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions and is also the first to swim from England to France against the tide More about: swimming More about: women

1951

Althea Gibson becomes the first black player to comete at Wimbledon More about: tennis More about: women

1953

Maureen Connolly is the first woman to win the Grand Slam More about: women More about: tennis

1953

Jacqueline Cochran becomes the first woman to fly faster than sound More about: flying More about: women

1956

Althea Gibson becomes the first black to win a Grand Slam singles title when she wins the French championships. The next year, she makes more history by winning Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals, the first black to win either More about: women More about: tennis

1956

Pat McCormick becomes the first woman to win back-to-back springboard and platform diving events at the Olympics More about: women More about: Olympics More about: diving

1956

Tenley Albright, who overcame polio as a child, becomes the first American woman to win a Olympic gold medal in figure skating. More about: women More about: ice skating

1956

Nell Cecelia Jackson, a 1948 Olympian, becomes the first black coach of the women's track team More about: women More about: coaching More about: athletics

1956

Willye White, 16, a member of the US Olympic team at the Melbourne Games, wins a silver medal in the long jump, becoming the first American female ever to medal in that event More about: women More about: athletics

1957

With her first Wimbledon title and first U.S. Championship, Althea Gibson becomes the top ranked female tennis player in the world More about: tennis More about: women

1958

Maria-Teresa de Filippis of Italy is the first woman to compete in a European Grand Prix auto race More about: motor sports More about: women

1958

Women are admitted to the international cycling championships More about: cycling More about: women

1960

Ukrainian Larissa Latynina wins three golds, two silvers and a bronze medal for gymnastics at the Rome Olympic medal count while three months pregnant More about: Olympic summer games More about: gymnastics More about: women

1964

Ukrainian Larissa Latynina completes her Olympic career in gymnastics with more medals than any athlete in Olympic history: nine gold, five silver and four bronze More about: Olympic summer games More about: gymnastics More about: women

1964

Speedskater Lydia Skoblikova becomes the first woman to win four gold medals at a Olympic Winter Games and the first person to win six gold medals (including two in the 1960 Olympic Games). More about: Olympic summer games More about: speed skating More about: women

1966

Billie Jean King wins her first Wimbledon single title, repeating in 1967 and 1968 More about: tennis More about: Wimbledon More about: women

1969

Sharon Sites Adams becomes the first woman to sail solo across the Pacific in the 31 foot 'Sea Harp' More about: sailing More about: women

1969

17 year old Ruth White becomes the first black woman to win a major US fencing title and the youngest, when she is named the national fencing champion More about: fencing More about: women

1971

Billie Jean King becomes the first woman athlete to win more than $100,000 in a single season in any sport. She is the only woman to have won US singles titles on grass, clay, carpet and hard court More about: tennis More about: women

1971

Austria’s Annemarie Moser-Pröll, 17, becomes the youngest woman to win a World Cup in overall points title for downhill skiing. During her 12 year career, she wins a record 62 World Cup races, includuing 36 downhill victories, to become the most accomplished female downhill skier More about: skiing More about: women

1972

Laura Blears Ching, the International Surfing champion, is the first woman to go up against men in a surfing meet in Hawaii More about: surfing More about: women

1972

Billie Jean King is named the Sportswoman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, the first time the award is given to a woman More about: women More about: sports personalities

1973

Billie Jean King wins the "battle of the sexes" tennis match against Bobby Riggs on Sept. 20 in Houston in front of more than 30,000 people and a world wide Television audience of more than 50 million. It firmly connected women's rights to women's sports and inspired millions to demand equal rights, equal treatment, and equal pay More about: tennis More about: equality More about: women

1973

Marion Ladewig, a native of Grand Rapids, MI, is voted the Greatest Woman Bowler of All Time. Ladewig started bowling at age 22, winning the first women's pro bowling tournament in 1960, the Professional Women's Bowling Association Championship in North Miami Beach, FL. Between 1949 and '63, Ladewig led the nation in high average for a woman four times, won the US Open Championship eight times, was a five-time World's Invitational Champion, and was voted Bowler of the Year nine times. No other person, man or woman, has won that award so many times More about: bowling More about: women

1974

Women begin competing for the world rowing championship More about: rowing More about: women

1975

Junko Tabei of Japan is the first woman in the world to reach the top of Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain. On May 16, leading an all-female Japanese expedition, she reaches the summit. She has also climbed to the top of the highest mountains in 20 of the 167 countries of the United Nations More about: mountaineering More about: women

1976

Rowing, handball, and basketball become Olympic events for women More about: Olympics More about: Olympic summer games More about: women

1976

West German Rosi Mittermaier, 25, turns in the greatest performance in one Olympics by a female alpine skier when she captures the gold in the women’s downhill, the slalom and took the silver in the giant slalom at the Innsbruck Olympics More about: Olympics More about: skiing More about: women

1976

Krystyna Choynowski-Liskiewicz of Poland is the first woman to sail around the world solo, finishing on March 28 More about: sailing More about: women

1976

Margaret Murdock's silver three-position rifle victory at the Olympic Games makes her the first markswoman in history to win an Olympic medal. The event was open, with men and women competing against each other More about: Olympics More about: shooting More about: women

1976

Nadia Comaneci earns the first perfect score in the history of Olympic gymnastics More about: Olympics More about: women More about: gymnastics

1979

Dr. Sylvia Earle becomes the first person in the world to dive to a depth of 1,250 feet. She led an all woman team of scientists in an experiment in undersea living, staying for two weeks in a submerged capsule in the Caribbean Sea More about: diving More about: women

1979

Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli, a 12 time world Cycling champion, begins competing. In her career, she will break 36 world records, and win 37 French national titles More about: cycling More about: women

1979

Billie Jean King wins her 20th Wimbledon title More about: Wimbledon More about: women More about: sports personalities

1980

Mary Decker becomes the first woman to run a mile in under 4 and a half minutes in Philadelphia on Jan. 25 More about: running More about: women More about: mile

1980

Eleanor Conn and her husband Sidney are the first to fly a hot air balloon over the North Pole More about: ballooning

1980

Field hockey becomes a medal sport for women in the Olympics. The Zimbabwe women's field hockey team went undefeated to win the Olympic gold medal More about: Olympics More about: hockey More about: women

1981

Betty Ellis becomes the first woman to officiate at a professional soccer match More about: women More about: football More about: soccer

1981

Mary Meagher sets a new world record in the 100m butterfly with a mark of 57.93 at Brown Deer, WI, on August 16 More about: women More about: swimming

1981

Sheila Young wins the World Cycling Championships More about: women More about: cycling

1982

Canadian athlete Debbie Brill proves that pregnancy and motherhood do not end a woman's athletic career. She sets a new indoor world broad jump record of 6'6-3/8" when her son is only five months old More about: jumping More about: women

1982

Mary Decker sets six world records in Track and field More about: women More about: athletics More about: running

1982

Runner Mary Decker becomes the first woman to win the Jesse Owens Award, which is presented annually to the best US track and field athlete. She is the fastest woman at every distance between 800 and 10,000 meters More about: running More about: women

1984

Martina Navratilova becomes the third grand slam winner in tennis, under the new regulations More about: tennis More about: grand slam More about: women

1984

Professionals allowed to compete in the Olympic games for the first time More about: Olympics More about: Olympic summer games

1984

Billie Jean King makes history again, becoming the commissioner of World Team Tennis, the first woman head of a professional athletic league More about: tennis More about: women More about: sports personalities

1984

Joan Benoit of the US wins the first women's Olympic marathon. Women's cycling, synchronized swimming, and rhythmic gymnastics are added to the Olympic calendar. More about: Olympics More about: Olympic summer games More about: women

1984

Kelly McCormick earns an Olympic swimming silver medal, followed by a bronze in 1988. She is the daughter of Olympic medalist Pat McCormick; they are the only mother-daughter medal winning combination in the history of the Olympics More about: Olympics More about: Olympic summer games More about: women

1984

Connie Carpenter wins the first women's cycling event in Olympic history at the Los Angeles Games. She is the first US woman to compete in both the Winter and Summer Olympics, having competed at the 1972 Sapporo Games in 1,500 meter speedskating event. She retired after the Games with 12 national cycling titles and four world championships medals More about: Olympics More about: women

1986

Pilot Jenna Yeager is one of three crew members of the Voyager, the first aircraft to circumnavigate the globe non-stop, without refueling in nine days More about: sailing More about: women

1988

Tennis reappears at the Olympic Games for the first time since the 1928 Games; Steffi Graf wins the gold medal at Seoul. More about: Olympic summer games More about: tennis More about: women

1988

Kristin Otto, 22, wins six gold medals for swimming at the Seoul Games. She took the gold in the 50 free, 100 free, 100 backstroke, 100 butterfly, 4x100 freestyle relay and 4x100 medley relay -- to claim the most extensive collection of gold medals ever won by a woman in a single Olympics More about: Olympic summer games More about: swimming More about: women

1988

77,735 women bowlers compete in the Women's International Bowling Congress Championship tournament in Reno, Nevada, the most in any bowling match in the world More about: bowling More about: women

1990

Monica Seles becomes the youngest Grand Slam winner with her defeat of Steffi Graf at the french Open More about: tennis More about: women

1990

Jennifer Capriati, 14, defaets Helen Kelesi 6-3, 6-1 in the first round to become the youngest winner of a match in Wimbledon history More about: tennis More about: women

1990

Martina Navratilova becomes the first woman in history to win Wimbledon nine times More about: tennis More about: women More about: sports personalities

1991

First women's World Cup tournament hosted in China, twelve teams participated, USA won, beating Norway More about: Women's football More about: women More about: world cup

1991

Susie Maroney completes the fastest return crossing of the English Channel, from Britain to France and back, in 17 hours 13 minutes More about: swimming More about: women

1991

Nine-time champion Martina Navratilova wins her record 100th singles match at Wimbledon over Elna Reinach More about: tennis More about: women More about: sports personalities

1992

A League of Their Own, a movie by director Penny Marshall about the first year of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League, was a box office hit, due in large part to the many women who went to see female sports role models on the screen More about: baseball More about: cinema More about: women

1992

Judo and the women's biathlon become Olympic events for women. Two additional women's sailing divisions - singlehanded and windsurfer - are added More about: Olmpic games More about: women

1992

Evelyn Ashford, in the Barcelona Games at the age of 35, crowns her Olympic career with a gold medal in the 4 x 100-meter relay, becoming the oldest American woman to earn an Olympic track and field medal More about: Olympic games More about: women More about: running

1993

Monica Seles is stabbed during a tennis tournament More about: tennis More about: women More about: sports personalities

1994

Bonnie Blair wins six gold medals at the World Cup speedskating competition, Obihito, Japan More about: skating More about: women

1994

Martina Navratilova retires. During her career, she set records for most singles titles (167), most matches won (1438) and most Wimbledon titles (9). More about: tennis More about: women More about: sports personalities

1994

Tegla Loroupe of Kenya becomes the first African woman to win a major marathon, finishing the New York City race in 2:27:37. She repeats her victory in 1995 More about: running More about: women

1995

Steffi Graf wins her sixth Wimbledon singles title More about: tennis More about: women More about: sports personalities

1996

Women's soccer and women's softball become medal sports at the Olympic Games for the first time; both events are won by US teams. Beach volleyball and women's epee are added as well More about: Olmpic games More about: women

1996

The US synchonized swimming team receives a perfect score of 100 in the free routine to earn the first Olympic gold medal in team competition. Swimmer Amy Van Dyken wins four gold medals, becoming the first U.S. woman to do so in a single Olympic Games More about: swimming More about: women

1996

Christina Sanchez, 24, becomes Europe's first qualified woman bullfighter More about: women More about: bull fighting

1996

Martina Hingis becomes the youngest champion in Wimbledon history at 15 years, 282 days when she wins the women's doubles title with Helena Sukova More about: tennis More about: women

1996

After being ranked number 1 for the 332nd week in her career, Steffi Graf passes Martina Navratilova as the record holder of most weeks with that ranking More about: tennis More about: women More about: sports personalities

1997

France’s Catherine Chabaud becomes the first woman to finish a nonstop solo round the world voyage in a time of 140 days More about: sailing More about: women

1997

The International Female Boxing Association is formed in April to promote women boxing throughout the world as a genuine, professional and athletic competition More about: boxing More about: women

1997

Triathlete Paula Newby-Frasier (34) races to victory at the Ironman Australia competition and becomes the first person to win 20 Ironman competitions. Her first victory was in 1986 More about: women

1997

Nawal El Moutawakel, the first woman from an Islamic nation to win an Olympic medal, is appointed Minister of Sport and Youth in Morocco and becomes the first Muslim woman ever elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). More about: Olympic games More about: women

1998

First year women's ice hockey and women's curling are medal sports. More about: Olympic winter games More about: women More about: winter sports

1998

Fifteen year old Tara Lipinski edges teammate Michelle Kwan and ecomes the youngest woman ever to win the Olympic gold medal in figure skating More about: Olympic winter games More about: women More about: ice skating

1998

Kenya's Tegla Loroupe runs the fastest women's marathon ever when she wins the 1998 Rotterdam Marathon in a time of 2 hours, 20 minutes and 47 seconds More about: women More about: running

1998

Christina Sanchez, 26, is the first female matador to fight in Madrid's famed Les Ventas ring More about: women More about: bull fighting More about: blood sports

1998

The IAAF announces women's pole vault and the hammer throw will be added to the 1999 World Championships and 2000 Olympics, meaning for the first time women will compete in the same number of field events as men More about: Olympic games More about: women

1998

Tennis star Venus Williams records a 127 mph serve; the fastest ever in women's tennis, against Mary Pierce at the European Championships More about: tennis More about: women

1998

Steffi Graf captures her 105th career singles title at the Leipzig Open and breaks Martina Navratilova's record for career earnings with $20,445,842 More about: women More about: tennis More about: sports personalities

1999

WTA teenagers Serena and Venus Williams become the first sisters to win singles titles on the same day when Venus captures the IGA Superthrift Tennis Classic hours after Serena's victory at the Open Gaz de France More about: women More about: tennis

1999

Five-time American Olympic gold medalist swimmer Jenny Thompson breaks Mary Meagher's 18-year-old world record in the 100-meter butterfly event at the Pan Pacific Championships in Sydney, Australia. Thompson, 26, clocked 57.88 seconds More about: women More about: swimming

1999

South African Penny Heyns, sets six world records in seven weeks, including a world record in the 100m breaststroke and another in the 200m semis at the Pan Pacific championships in Sydney, Australia More about: women More about: swimming

1999

Britain's only female soccer agent, Rachel Anderon, wos a sex discrimination action against England's Professional Players' Association, which banned her from its male only awards dinner More about: women More about: football

1999

Serena Williams, 17, defeats Martina Hingis to capture the US Open title for her first Grand Slam title in her second year as a pro. Williams becomes the first black woman to win a Grand Slam title since Althea Gibson in 1958. More about: women More about: tennis More about: sports personalities

1999

A crowd of 3,152 gathered at little Aggborough stadium in Kidderminister, England, as Wendy Toms, Janie Frampton and Amy Rayner became the first all-female trio to officiate at a professional soccer game on Sept. 13 More about: women More about: football

1999

Steffi Graf, 30, received the prestigious Prince of Asturias Award from Crown Prince Felipe in Oviedo, Spain. The Prince of Asturias Foundation gives the award to sports personalities who display excellence both as athletes and as human beings More about: women More about: tennis More about: sports personalities

1999

In their second all-sisters final of the year, Serena Williams beat older sister Venus for the first time in their professional careers, winning the Grand Slam Cup in Munich in October More about: women More about: tennis More about: sports personalities

1999

In a high profile women’s boxing match, Laila Ali, 21, the daughter of Muhammad Ali, made her pro boxing debut with a KO in just 31 seconds in the first round of a match with April Fowler in Verona, NY More about: women More about: boxing More about: sports personalities

1999

The International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) names Fanny Blankers-Koen, who won four Olympic golds at the 1948 London Games, as the female Athlete of the Century in a ceremony in Monaco. Blankers-Koen, a 30-year-old Dutch mother of two, won gold in the 100 and 200 meters, 80 meters hurdles and the sprint relay More about: Olympics More about: women More about: sports personalities

1999

36 year old American Tori Murden crosses the Atlantic Ocean in a row boat, the American Pearl, following an 81 day voyage. She becomes the first woman to row across the Atlantic alone More about: women More about: rowing

1999

The International Olympic Committee awarded Steffi Graf their highest honour, the Olympic order, at ceremonies in Lausanne, Switzerland. The Olympic order is awarded to recognize “those persons who have illustrated the Olympic ideal through their actions, have achieved remarkable merit in the sporting world or have rendered outstanding services to the Olympic cause.” Graf won Olympic gold medal in Seoul in 1998 when tennis reappeared as a full medal sport. She won 22 Grand Slam titles during her career More about: women More about: tennis More about: sports personalities

2000

Scotland's Diana Hoff becomes the oldest person at 55, to row across the Atlantic Ocean; completing the voyage alone on January 4 More about: women More about: rowing

2000

ABC release a film about the life of Special Olympics athlete Loretta Claiborne who was born partially blind, ran in 25 marathons, and carried the torch in the International Special Olympics where she has won medals in dozens of events. “The Loretta Claiborne Story” details her life both on and off the track More about: women More about: Olympics More about: running

2000

The Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA), with US women’s World Cup players as the core, announces plans to start league play with eight teams across the nation in the spring of 2001 More about: women More about: football

2000

Granny D, a 90 year old great-grandmother from Dublin, NH, completes her 14 month, cross country walk from California to Washington, DC, in February to advocate for campaign finance reform. Doris Haddock walked an average of 10 miles per day on her trek More about: women More about: football More about: elderly and sport

2000

According to the International Olympic Committee women competed in the same number of team sports as men in Sydney for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games More about: Olympics More about: women

2000

44 year old lawyer, Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki of Greece, becomes the first woman to head an Olympics organising committee. She was instrumental in Greece’s winning the 2004 summer games bid in 1997 More about: Olympic Summer games More about: Greece More about: women

2000

Sisters Venus and Serena Williams make tennis history when, for the first time in history, sisters win the Wimbledon doubles title More about: women More about: tennis More about: sports personalities

2000

100th anniversary of women being allowed to compete in the Olympic games. Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, open with a record 120 events for a record 4,100 women competitors More about: Olympic summer games More about: women

2000

Marion Jones becomes the first woman to win five track medals in one Olympics: three gold, two bronze More about: Olympic summer games More about: women More about: running

2000

Sandra Baldwin is elected the first female president of the US Olympic Committee in its 106-year history More about: Olympics More about: women

2001

Olympic champion Stacy Dragila set a new world record in the women’s pole vault, jumping 4.70 meters (15 feet, 5 inches) and beating her own indoor world mark More about: women More about: field athletics

2001

British yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur, 24, becomes the fastest woman and the youngest person to sail around the world single-handedly in a non-stop race after completing a solo three-month journey around the world. MacArthur sailed 25,000 miles in 94 days, 4 hours, 25 minutes, 40 seconds aboard her 60 foot Kingfisher yacht More about: women More about: sailing

2001

Monica Seles wins her 50th career title, beating Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-3, 6-2, at the Japan Open More about: women More about: tennis More about: sports personalities

2001

40-year old Kelly Perkins climbs 19,340 foot high Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, becoming the first heart transplant recipient to do so, ten months after surgery More about: women More about: mountaineering

2002

The International Olympic Committee approves the addition of skeleton, women's bobsled, men's and women's 1500m races in short track speed skating and men's and women's cross country ski events to the sports programme for the Winter Games in Salt Lake City. More about: Olympic winter games More about: ice skating More about: skiing

2002

Bobsled driver Jill Bakken, and brake woman Vonetta Flowers, make Olympic history with their gold medal run in the first women's bobsleigh event with a combined time of 1:37.36. Vonetta Flowers becomes the first black athlete to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics. More about: Olympic winter games More about: women

2002

16 year old Sarah Hughes, New York, completes a near-perfect free skate that includes seven triple jumps, five in combination, to win gold in the women’s Olympic figure skating. More about: Olympic winter games More about: women More about: ice skating

2002

21 year old Venus Williams officially moves to number one ranking in the Women's Tennis Association More about: tennis More about: women More about: sports personalities

2002

Paula Radcliffe wins the London Marathon with the second best time in world record history in her very first race at marathon distance. She finished in 2:18:56, just 9 seconds off the mark. More about: women More about: running More about: sports personalities

2002

45 year old Martina Navratilova becomes the oldest player to win a tour title when she and doubles partner Natasha Zvereva win at the Madrid Open. Navratilova, who retired in 1994 with a record 167 singles titles, returned to the tour to play doubles in 2000 More about: tennis More about: women More about: sports personalities

2003

Regina Jacobs becomes the first woman to break the four minute mile in the indoor 1,500m, beating a 13 year old world record with her time of 3:59:98 at the Boston Indoor Games More about: women More about: running

2003

Teresa Phillips, 44, the athletic director at Tennessee State becomes the first woman to coach a major college men's basketball team More about: women More about: basketball

2003

Serena Williams tops sister Venus for the championship at Wimbledon with 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the women's final More about: women More about: tennis More about: sports personalities

2003

Martina Navratilova, 46, gains her 20th Winbledon title by winning the mixed doubles with Leander Paes, tying Billie Jean King's record for wins there. Her record at Wimbledon includes 9 singles, 7 women's doubles, and 4 mixed doubles titles More about: women More about: tennis More about: sports personalities

2003

Veteran cowgirl Connie Reeves dies at 101 after being thrown from her favorite horse, Dr. Pepper, in San Antonio. Reeves taught more than 30,000 girls how to ride horses over more than 70 years More about: women More about: horse riding

2003

Germany beat Sweden 2-1 in the women's world cup More about: women More about: football More about: world cup

2003

Racing driver Shirley Muldowney ends her 42 year career, with her final race on November 9 More about: women More about: motor sports

2004

24 year old Autsrian native Andrea Mayr runs up the 86 flights of stairs in the Empire State Building in 12 minutes, 8 seconds, winning the stair race organised annually by the New York Runners Club More about: women More about: running

2004

Women's wrestling is introduced for the Olympic summer games, athens More about: Olympic summer games More about: women More about: wrestling

2004

Ireland's Sinead Jennings wins the World Rowing Championships in the lightweight single sculls More about: women More about: rowing

2004

Laila Ali, daughter of Muhammad Ali, wins the International Women’s Boxing Federation light heavyweight championship, knocking out Gwendolyn O’Neil at the 1:59 mark of the third round More about: boxing More about: women

2005

Olympic gold medallist Angela Ruggiero makes hockey history, becoming the first female non-goaltender to play in a men’s professional hockey game. More about: women More about: hockey

2005

34-year-old Becky Zerlentes becomes the first woman to die of injuries sustained in a sanctioned boxing match in the United States during a Golden Glove event More about: women More about: boxing

2005

Paula Radcliffe sets a new women's record at the London Marathon, finishing in 2:17:42, beating her own record of 2:18:56 from 2002 More about: women More about: running

2005

Katie Brownell, an 11 year-old girl in the Oakfield-Alabama Little League in upstate New York, pitches a perfect game for the Dodgers, stricking out all 18 batters that she faced in the six-inning game More about: baseball More about: women

2005

Maria Sharapova becomes the first player from Russia to be ranked No. 1 and the 15th in the history of World Team Tennis since it began its rankings in 1975 More about: women More about: tennis More about: sports personalities

2005

Lindsay Davenport, 29, earns her 50th career tennis title with a 6-2, 6-4 victory against Amelie Mauresmo at the Porsche Grand Prix, becoming the 10th player to reach that milestone More about: women More about: tennis More about: sports personalities

2005

For the first time, a rules change will allow women to play in British Open, according to the governing body for golf outside the United States, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. The new rule says that entry "should be based on playing ability irrespective of gender." More about: women More about: golf

2005

Annika Sorenstam makes golfing history at the Mizuno Classicshot with an 8-under 64 for a three-stroke victory, becoming the first player in LPGA Tour history to win a tournament five straight times More about: women More about: golf More about: sports personalities

2005

20 year old Wang Mingjuan of China sets two world records, winning the gold medal in the women’s 106-pound division at the World Weightlifting Championships, with a clean and jerk record, lifting 260 pounds More about: women More about: weightlifting

2005

Canadian Cindy Klassen sets a new world speed skating record in the women’s 1500 meters with a time of 1:51.79 More about: women More about: ice skating

2006

Effa Manley becomes the first woman elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame More about: women More about: baseball

2006

31 year old Norwegian adventurer Cecilie Skog reaches the North Pole on April 24 in just under 49 days, making her the first woman to both climb the highest mountains on seven continents and ski to the so-called "three poles," which refers to the North and South Poles plus climbing Mount Everest. In December 2005, she skied to the South Pole. Skog is the second woman in history to ski to the North Pole from land. The first was Tina Sjogren in 2002 More about: women More about: mountaineering More about: skiing

2006

Dee Caffari, a 33 year old British former school teacher, becomes the first woman to sail alone and nonstop the "wrong way" around the world, after 179 days at sea against prevailing winds and currents, aboard her 72 foot yacht Aviva on a 28,000 mile voyage from east to west More about: women More about: sailing