The First Women's Olympic Marathon Is Run

Setting the scene

Women had been barred from Olympic distances longer than 800 meters for decades amid unfounded medical claims; marathon pioneers like Kathrine Switzer and Grete Waitz pushed organizers to reconsider.

What happened

The first women's Olympic marathon was run on August 5, 1984, at the Los Angeles Games; Joan Benoit of the United States won in 2:24:52 before a roaring Coliseum crowd.

Why it still matters

Los Angeles ended the longest-standing gender exclusion in Olympic distance running and opened the door for women's steeplechase and other events later added. Memorable detail: Benoit entered the stadium through a tunnel while Swiss competitor Gabriela Andersen-Schiess staggered toward the finish on the track.

Background

The event ended decades of exclusion from the distance.