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Shakespeare & Beyond

Glimpses of women athletes in 18th-century England

A woman runner
A woman runner

Racing, fighting, playing cricket, riding horses—women athletes were no stranger to these sports in 18th-century England. Describing 18th-century women as “athletes” is, of course, anachronistic since no women from that time period were ever described that way by their contemporaries, but neither were the men. Nevertheless, “athletic” seems the best way to describe women who competed in hard, physical competitions.