Margaret Ives Abbott (1878-1955) was an American golfer, who went down in history as the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Her athletic career was at the amateur level, culminating during her stay in Paris to study art. In 1900, she participated in the women's golf tournament at the Paris Olympic Games, winning the nine-hole event with a score of 47. Due to the disorganization of the event, which was integrated into the World's Fair, Abbott and many other athletes were unaware that they were competing in an official Olympic event, believing it was simply an international tournament. In recognition of her victory, she did not receive a medal but a porcelain bowl. Her status as the first American female Olympic champion was officially recognized only decades after her death, thanks to historical research by the International Olympic Committee. Abbott died without ever knowing she had accomplished this historic feat.