On April 19, 1967, the day of the Boston Marathon, Kathrine Switzer wore bib number 261.
During the race, organizers and some runners tried to prevent her from finishing. She still managed to cross the finish line, but was disqualified and suspended by the U.S. Track and Field Federation, which banned women from road races. In 2011, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame for her social revolution by encouraging the recognition of women's strength through running.
A heroine at a time when women weren't allowed to run!
And yes, no women in races over 800m. Incredible, isn't it?
At the time, long-distance and middle-distance races were considered too long, too dangerous, and ungainly, to use the terms used in the literature. Imagine if doctors themselves contraindicated running for fear that internal organs would descend, damage the uterus, or even increase testosterone levels đ .
However, at the dawn of the 1960s, women were revolting, including in the field of sport in general and athletics in particular. Whether in stadiums or outside, women were implicitly excluded from competitions.
But that was before Roberta arrived!
Before her, Roberta Gibbs had already run a marathon, illegally.
Kathrine is often referred to as the first woman to run the marathon in 1967. This isn't entirely accurate. A year earlier, another woman had also started the race in Boston.
Roberta Gibbs, however, didn't have a race number; she reportedly started out of a bush. Alone, in a tank top, she finished the race in 3 hours and 21 minutes, in complete illegality.
Kathrine Switzer and Bobbi Gibb opened a door. They showed men that a woman is capable of running that long.
đ€ Women deemed unfit for sports
Let us remember that women were then encouraged to practice sporting activities such as swimming or gymnastics by the medical authorities themselves.
German doctor Gertrud Pfister believed, in particular, that excessively intense and prolonged physical exertion could cause women to "shift their uterus or even lose it." These words are barely believable today, but were taken very seriously at the time. Until the 1960 Rome Games, the longest race open to women was the 200m. That's an effort of less than 30 seconds for the best of the time. The Games in the Italian capital innovated somewhat by offering women... an 800m. While it's certainly four times longer, it's still completely absurd.
Source Eurosport
After the race: Kathrine's commitment to women
Kathrine Switzer's race and struggle are covered in numerous media outlets. She was the first woman to be officially registered. Indeed, she had found a loophole: the mores of the time prohibiting women from running long or middle distance were so deeply ingrained in society that the Boston Marathon rules contained no specific provisions on the subject.
By entering only her initial and name at registration, she obtained an official bib. Bib 261! Yet when the race director spotted her in the crowd of runners, he tried to oust her from the race and snatch her bib. It was THE CLICHE of the race.
If Kathrine was able to finish the race protected by her partner and her trainer, this image remains etched in her memory.
This photo of Jock Semple, then the race organizer, grabbing her to get her off the course went viral. Despite her disqualification and suspension from the American Track and Field Federation, her story caused a stir and played an important role in opening the marathon to women.
In 1971, the New York City Marathon allowed women to run the 42.195 km. In 1972, the Boston Marathon officially opened its race to women. Gradually, Europe followed suit. London dedicated its first marathon to an all-women's race. In 1978, the first all-women's marathon was held in Atlanta. Organized by Kathrine, this event featured 200 competitors from 27 countries. It also established an international circuit aimed at promoting women's running and women's empowerment.
In 1975, Kathrine officially started the Boston Marathon in 2h51'37". That's almost 15km/h, or 4 minutes per kilometer.
1984: the Olympic marathon discipline for women
While the marathon has been the premier event of the Olympic Games since their inception, it wasn't until 1984 in Los Angeles that women were given their own event. Less than 40 years ago! American Joan Benoit won the event with a time of 2 hours 24 minutes. Just 15 minutes behind Portugal's Carlos Lopes, who was crowned Olympic champion in the men's category at that edition. Eighteen years earlier, Roberta Gibbs illegally crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
Gone are the physical prejudices that considered women unfit for marathon running.
Roberta, Kathrine, Joan have proven that women have their place in this type of event, whether they are amateurs or professionals.
In 1988, the first women's 10,000m race took place in Seoul, followed by the first 5,000m in Atlanta in 1996. Amateur racing also benefited from this progress and followed the general enthusiasm. However, inequalities still persist; for example, men compete in the 110m hurdles, while women compete in the 100m hurdles.
đ Two Six One? Like Kathrine's bib number 261
As the project gradually took shape, we wanted a name with impact. A tribute to these pioneers, who, by breaking the mold and pushing boundaries, have allowed us today to practice running and run marathons in complete freedom. We dream that one day Kathrine Switzer will do us the honor of wearing one of our outfits.