In 1966, Roberta Gibb was the first woman to ever run a marathon. After being rejected from the Boston Marathon because ‘women were not physiologically capable of running the distance’ she hid near the starting line, and finished in 3 hours, 21 minutes
by eaglemaxie
17 Comments
She registered as R. Gibb, and her boyfriend ran interference for her; when “Jock” Semple, the then-director, figured out that “R” was Roberta, he tried to physically remove her from the course, but her boyfriend tripped Jock up so he couldn’t touch her.
Meanwhile, other competitors were cheering her on!
Well, she’s quite lucky her uterus didn’t fall out. /s
Geeze we *used to* be so stupid…oh.
Has to be one of the top ten runners of all time.
You didn’t mention the men who lay in wait to literally tackle her in order to stop her from completing said race she was incapable of finishing.
The funny thing is, that these days it is generally accepted that one of the few sporting disciplines women are equal to men in (if not often better) is ultra-marathon running.
Heck I remember reading stories of the women’s 800m at the 1928 Olympics talking about women fainting at the event (Those reports might of be slightly exaggerated). Either way the Olympics took the distance off the programme for 32 years!
I believe that most of the men watching and working that race believed women couldn’t do it.
At that time running a marathon was no weres as common.
She must have blown there minds.
The first American marathon, that is. From Wikipedia: “Marie-Louise Ledru (1918) is widely credited as the first woman to complete a formally recognized marathon (the Tour de Paris Marathon)”
Imagine being told you are physically can’t do something,then finishing it in three hours absolute legend.
How idiotic and in 1966. Sounds like 1366
This seems like a movie if well written.
First white female allowed to race maybe?. The Raramuri people have a 200 mile race and females have been participating in it for hundreds of years. I am sure if I Google I can find more examples of other cultures where females have been racing.
Incredible during that time which the sport & science are not as good and advance as today.
Sounds like fake news, says right in the title women can’t do it /s
It was only 30 years ago that the 5k for women was included in the Olympics
Incredible. She ran 3:21 after being told it was physically impossible for a woman
I wonder what stupid shit we believe today
Jesus 1966 not that long ago. Way to science!