While it's commonplace to see women shining on the Olympic stage today, little over a century ago, they were not even allowed to compete. Their journey to reach this sporting pinnacle has been long and arduous — more akin to a marathon than a sprint — and it began in Paris in 1900, when women competed in the Olympics for the first time.

Now, a century-and-a-quarter later, Paris is again laying down another Olympic milestone for female athletes. The International Olympic Committee has ensured that approximately half of the 10,500-athlete quota are women — meaning that Paris 2024 is the first time in history an almost equal number of men and women are competing at a Summer Games.

The final registered numbers released by the IOC show that 5,712 male athletes and 5,503 female athletes are on a quest for gold this year, compared to the just 22 women and 975 men who participated in 1900.