Once seen as a "celebration of manly virtue" without female athletes, the modern Olympics will reach gender parity for the first time during this year's Paris Games, 128 years since its first edition.
When the ancient Greek event was revived by French aristocrat Pierre de Coubertin in the late 19th century, he saw it as a celebration of gentlemanly athleticism "with female applause as its reward."
In 1924, the last time the Olympics were held in Paris, just 4% of competitors were female and they were restricted to sports considered suitable for them, such as swimming, tennis and croquet.