NEW YORK - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics is on track for a new record - having an almost equal number of female and male athletes for the first time, the International Committee (IOC) announced on Tuesday.

The percentage of female athletes competing at the Olympics in Japan in July is expected to rise to nearly 49 percent - from 34 percent in 1996, according to a statement from the IOC.

The IOC said it is committed to reaching full gender parity for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"It has been more of a marathon than a sprint, but female Olympians are at last catching their male counterparts in the numbers game," the IOC said in a statement.

The announcement is part of the international sports organization's greater push for women's rights.

This month the IOC announced that it will have full gender representation across all 206 teams and change its rules to allow one male and one female athlete to jointly carry their flag during the Opening Ceremony.

It has also taken a leadership role in the UN Women's Sports For Generation Equality Initiative, which aims to advance gender equality in and through sports.

Reuters