Why Were Women Barred from the First Modern Marathon?

💡 The Answer

• The 1896 Olympic marathon was only open to men, reflecting Victorian gender roles.
• Officials believed that running such a distance would harm women’s reproductive health.
• In 1967, Kathrine Switzer secretly registered as “K. V. Switzer” and ran Boston.
• Race official Jock Semple tried to physically remove her during the race.
• Women were finally allowed in the Olympic marathon in 1984 in Los Angeles.