In 1967, Katherine Switzer became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as an officially registered competitor. During the race, race manager Jock Semple tried to stop Switzer from running but was unsuccessful in his attempt and she continued on finishing with a time of 4:20:00.
Trailblazing Canadian track and field athlete
Marjorie Jackson was the first Australian woman to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics in 1952.
Olympic track and field gold medal winner and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) All-American
Nova Peris was the first Aboriginal Australian to win an Olympic gold medal.
Edith McGuire became the top sprinter of the 1960s, winning six Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) championships and an Olympic gold medal in Tokyo, Japan, in 1964. McGuire was also the only American woman ever to hold three AAU titles at different times, in the 100 and 200 meters and the long jump.
Shirley was the first Australian woman to win an Olympic medal in athletics in 1948.
American track star considered one of the world’s fastest women
Polish-American runner named the greatest woman athlete of the first half of the 20th century by the Helm Athletic Foundation (1951)
In 1956, Betty Cuthbert won three Olympic gold medals, the first Australian to do so.