Who were some of the first women athletes?

Some of the first women athletes include figures like Hélène de Pourtalès, who competed in sailing at the 1900 Paris Olympics, becoming the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Other notable early athletes include tennis player Maud Watson, the first women's Wimbledon champion in 1884, and Track and Field pioneer Mildred "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias, who Excelled in multiple sports during the 1930s and 1940s. These women broke barriers in their respective sports, paving the way for future generations of female athletes.