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Women of the Winter Olympics: Amazing Athletes in Action

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Ever since the first Winter Olympics in 1924, women athletes have competed for gold with the same intensity, grace and power as their male counterparts — even if, in ’24, the only events in which women were allowed to take part were figure- and pairs-skating. In 2014 at Sochi, meanwhile, competitors from around the globe will put it all on the line in 98 events across 15 disciplines, from figure-skating to ice hockey to — finally — ski jumping for both men and women.

Here, in acknowledgement of the long, icy, often-uphill trail that sportswomen have had to navigate through the years, LIFE offers a series of Winter Olympics photos from the 1940s to the 1970s — pictures featuring the still-famous (Peggy Fleming, Lidiya Skoblikova, Andrea Mead Lawrence) as well as more than a few largely forgotten female athletes who made a mark in the Olympics, whether they medaled or not.

Andrea Mead Lawrence, the first American alpine skier to win Olympic gold, training in 1947.
Fifteen-year-old Andrea Mead Lawrence, the first American alpine skier to win Olympic gold, training in 1947.George Silk—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Six-time U.S. national figure-skating champion Gretchen Merrill, St. Moritz Olympics, 1948.
Six-time U.S. national figure-skating champion Gretchen Merrill, St. Moritz Olympics, 1948.Mark Kauffman—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
French figure skater Jacqueline du Bief, St. Moritz, 1948.
French figure skater Jacqueline du Bief, St. Moritz, 1948.Mark Kauffman—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
British figure skater Jeanette Altwegg, bronze medalist at St. Moritz, 1948.
British figure skater Jeanette Altwegg, bronze medalist at St. Moritz, 1948.Walter Sanders—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Canadian Patricia Gault, St. Moritz, 1948.
Canadian Patricia Gault, St. Moritz, 1948.Mark Kauffman—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Olympic figure skater, St. Moritz, 1948.
Olympic figure skater, St. Moritz, 1948.Walter Sanders—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Gretchen Merrill, St. Moritz Olympics, 1948.
Gretchen Merrill, St. Moritz Olympics, 1948.Walter Sanders—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
American skier Brynhild Grasmoen, St. Moritz, 1948.
American skier Brynhild Grasmoen, St. Moritz, 1948.Walter Sanders—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Great Britain's Sue Holmes, Cortina, Italy, 1956.
Great Britain's Sue Holmes, Cortina, Italy, 1956.Frank Scherschel—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Unidentified skater, Cortina, Italy, 1956.
Unidentified skater, Cortina, Italy, 1956.Frank Scherschel—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Unidentified athlete, Cortina, Italy, 1956.
Unidentified athlete, Cortina, Italy, 1956.Frank Scherschel—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
American silver medalist Carol Heiss, Cortina, Italy, 1956.
American figure-skating silver medalist Carol Heiss, Cortina, Italy, 1956.Frank Scherschel—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Russian cross-country skiers Radya Yeroshina (silver) and Lyubov Kozyreva (gold), Cortina, Italy, 1956.
Russian cross-country skiers Radya Yeroshina (silver) and Lyubov Kozyreva (gold), Cortina, Italy, 1956.Frank Scherschel—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
American silver medalist Penny Pitou (left) and German downhill gold medalist Heidi Biebl, Squaw Valley, 1960.
American silver medalist Penny Pitou (left) and German downhill gold medalist Heidi Biebl, Squaw Valley, 1960.Nat Farbman—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Slalom silver medalist Betsy Snite (USA), Squaw Valley, 1960.
Slalom silver medalist Betsy Snite (USA), Squaw Valley, 1960.Ralph Crane—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
American downhill skier Penny Pitou (silver medalist), Squaw Valley, 1960.
American downhill skier Penny Pitou (silver medalist), Squaw Valley, 1960.Nat Farbman—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
American downhill skier Penny Pitou (silver medalist), Squaw Valley, 1960.
American downhill skier Penny Pitou (silver medalist), Squaw Valley, 1960.Ralph Crane—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Unidentified athlete, Squaw Valley, 1960.
Unidentified athlete, Squaw Valley, 1960.George Silk—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Figure skater Carol Heiss (gold medal, Ladies Singles), Squaw Valley, 1960.
Figure skater Carol Heiss (gold medal, Ladies Singles), Squaw Valley, 1960.George Silk—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Figure skater Carol Heiss (gold medal, Ladies Singles), Squaw Valley, 1960.
Figure skater Carol Heiss (gold medal, Ladies Singles), Squaw Valley, 1960.Ralph Crane—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Russian speed-skating gold medalist Lidiya Skoblikova (center), with Poland's Elwira Seroczynska (left, silver) and Helena Pilejczyk (right, bronze), Squaw Valley, 1960.
Russian speed-skating gold medalist Lidiya Skoblikova (center), with Poland's Elwira Seroczynska (left, silver) and Helena Pilejczyk (right, bronze), Squaw Valley, 1960.Ralph Crane—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Unidentified athlete, Innsbruck Olympics, 1964.
Unidentified athlete, Innsbruck Olympics, 1964.George Silk—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Unidentified athlete, Innsbruck Olympics, 1964.
Unidentified athlete, Innsbruck Olympics, 1964.George Silk—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
American skier Jean Saubert (center) gets kisses from French downhill gold and silver medalists (and sisters), Christine and Marielle Goitschel, Innsbruck Olympics, 1964.
American skier Jean Saubert (center) gets kisses from French downhill gold and silver medalists (and sisters), Christine and Marielle Goitschel, Innsbruck Olympics, 1964.Ralph Crane—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Unidentified athlete, Innsbruck Olympics, 1964.
Unidentified athlete, Innsbruck Olympics, 1964.George Silk—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Left to right: Christine Goitschel, Jean Saubert, and Marielle Goitschel, Innsbruck, 1964
Left to right: Christine Goitschel, Jean Saubert, and Marielle Goitschel, Innsbruck, 1964George Silk—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
American speed skater and four-time Olympic medalist Dianne Holum, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.
American speed skater and four-time Olympic medalist Dianne Holum, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Unidentified athlete, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.
Unidentified athlete, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Three-time Olympic medalist Lyudmila Titova, speed skater, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.
Three-time Olympic medalist Lyudmila Titova, speed skater, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
American figure skater Peggy Fleming, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.
American figure skater Peggy Fleming, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Twelve-year-old Romanian figure skater Beatrice Hustiu, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.
Twelve-year-old Romanian figure skater Beatrice Hustiu, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
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American figure skater Janet Lynn, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
American figure skater Peggy Fleming, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.
American figure skater Peggy Fleming, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Peggy Fleming, gold medalist, Ladies Singles figure skating, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.
Peggy Fleming, gold medalist, Ladies Singles figure skating, Grenoble Olympics, 1968.Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Anne Henning, 16, skating to victory in the 500-meter speed skating race at the Sapporo Winter Olympics, 1972.
Anne Henning, 16, skating to victory in the 500-meter speed skating race at the Sapporo Winter Olympics, 1972.George Silk—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Figure skaters American Janet Lynn (bronze), Austrian Beatrix Schuba (gold) and Candian Karin Manguessen (silver), Sapporo Winter Olympics, 1972.
Figure skaters Janet Lynn (American, bronze), Beatrix Schuba (Austrian, gold) and Karin Manguessen (Canadian, silver), Sapporo Winter Olympics, 1972.George Silk—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
American speed skater and four-time Olympic medalist Dianne Holum, Sapporo Winter Olympics, 1972.George Silk—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Women's luge, Sapporo Winter Olympics, 1972.
Women's luge, Sapporo Winter Olympics, 1972.John Dominis—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

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