1922 Women's World Games

The 1922 Women's World Games (French Jeux Olympiques Féminins and Jeux féminins mondiaux) also dubbed the 1922 Women's Olympic Games were the first regular international Women's World Games. The tournament was held 20 August 1922 at the Stade Pershing in Paris.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The games were organized by the Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale under Alice Milliat^{[1][2][4][5][6]} as a response to the refusal of the International Olympic Committee to include women's events in the 1924 Olympic Games.

The Games consisted of eleven events: six track events (60 metres, 100 yards, 300 metres, 1000 metres, 4 x 110 yards relay and hurdling 100 yards and five track events (high jump, long jump, standing long jump, javelin and shot put).^[2][4][7] Each country was allowed two participants in each event.^[8]

Next to these events the final of the French Basketball Championships was scheduled and several demonstration events.^[9]

A total of 18 world records were set.^[4]

The venue of the Games was the Percing Stadium in the Bois de Vincennes. The stadium was build by engineers of the United States Army. The stadium was inaugarsted on 22 June 1919. It hosted that year the Inter-Allied Games and was presented after the Games as a gift by the United States to France. It was also the venue of the first women's athletics matches in France, the 1921 France–Great Britain women's athletics match and in May 1922 the 1922 France–Czechoslovakia women's athletics match.^[10] The venue was in general mainly used as a football stadium and was also used during the 1924 Summer Olympics.

The stadium was able to hold 29,000 spectators.

A list of 77 women from five nations were listed to participate. However, note not all entered athletes also participated.^[8][11] The athletes were selected by the nations. Some countries used specific matches to select athletes, like the United States organized the 1922 United States Women's World Games trials.

•  Czechoslovakia (10)
•  France (32)
•  Great Britain (13)
•  Switzerland (7)
•  United States (15)

The morning session on 20 August consisted of the heats in the 60 metres, 100 yards, 100 yards hurdles, high jump, long jump, standing long jump and 300 meters.^[8]

Before the afternoon session, the Games were opened with an olympic style ceremony, including a parade of nations. American Lucile Godbold was selected to carry the American flag, with the American team wearing white uniforms.^{[8] [12]}

In the 20 August 1922 newspaper a schedule was published of the Games.^[9]

The Games took place in "perfect weather conditions". There were 20,000 spectators.^[1][5][8]

^[13]