Because men and women currently compete alongside and against one another in figure skating, partnered figure skating allows for more innovation, which might potentially break traditional Olympic molds. Furthermore, figure skating appears to be a synthesis of athleticism and art. We should enable athletes to participate in this creative process in whichever way they see fit. Finally, partnering up men and women in figure skating is consistent with the majority of major sports leagues around the world. The main reason why men and women are paired in figure skating is because they both have equal opportunity to win gold medals. In fact, it was not until 1948 that women were allowed to compete in Olympic games as independent entities rather than as partners of men. Before then, they usually took the place of their married names after they got married or went into hiding if they were divorced. In 1896, American Maggie Richards became the first woman to win an Olympic medal when she took home the silver in the standing high jump. This event was part of the original program at the Athens Olympics. Since then, several other women have won Olympic medals in figure skating including American Sonja Henie who won four gold medals in Oslo in 1920. She is still considered by many to be the greatest ice dancer of all time. Today, almost every sport on the Olympic schedule has men's and women's divisions with two exceptions: boxing and mixed martial arts. And even among these two sports, most champions are still paired together from one division to the other.