Running is not just a way to keep oneself fit, rather it is one of the most exciting sports that people watch and enjoy. It is simple and easy but some of the best athletes participate in it to provide an excellent spectacle for viewers. However, some fans still want more engagement and try to spice up the sporting experience by betting through the bet365 bonus code.
Below we are discussing the greatest female runners who have etched their names in history books.
1- Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Rudolph also has a great name in the history of sports. She was one of the most celebrated American sprinters. She became the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games in 1960. She also won the bronze medal in the 4 100 relay at the 1956 Games.
Wilma Rudolph was one of the most famous American sprinters, and her success story is also hugely inspiring. She had polio at the age of five but recovered from it to become a world-record-holding Olympic champion. The American athlete became an international star in the 60s due to the worldwide television coverage of the Games.
2- Fanny Blankers-Koen
Fanny Blankers-Koen is one of the biggest names in female sports. She blew away the competition in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, where she ended up winning four gold medals. This was the first time that a female had won four gold medals at a single Olympic Games.
Nicknamed as “Flying Housewife”, Blankers-Koen’s story is a huge inspiration for all the other women. Her successes helped dispel the belief that age and motherhood are barriers to success. She was voted “Female Athlete of the Century ” by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in 1999.
3- Joan Benoit
Joan Benoit created history at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles as she became the first women Olympic marathon at the Games.
Benoit had won the Boston Marathon twice and also won the Chicago Marathon in 1985. She created further records during her illustrious career, which included setting the American record when she finished the Chicago Marathon in 2:21:21. The record held until 2003 when Deena Kastor won the London Marathon and set a new record.
4- Kathrine Switzer
Kathrine Switzer also challenged gender roles when she participated in the 1967 Boston Marathon. Times were very different back then as women were not allowed to take part in the marathon at that time. However, Switzer found a way to participate as she registered using her initials, K.V. Switzer, and successfully completed the race despite attempts by race officials to remove her from the course.
5- Paula Radcliffe
Paula Radcliffe is one of the most famous names in the sport. At 02:15:25, she is the world record holder for the women’s marathon. She held the previous record but smashed her own record by one minute and 53 seconds later.
Paula Ratcliffe has consistently performed well at major events. She also recovered from serious injuries and achieved huge successes. Apart from the marathon record, she also has nine other world records to her name, which includes the 10km and half marathon.
6- Wyomia Tyus
Wyomia Tyus is one of greatest female sprinters of all time. She became the first person in history to successfully defend her Olympic 100m title.
Tyus won the gold medal at the 1964 Olympics, and later in 1968, she defended her title at the Mexico Games. Her time of 11.08 seconds was a new world record at the time. Not only that, the American female athlete also has the distinction of winning a silver medal in the 4x100m relay in 1964 before adding a gold in the same competition in the 1968 Olympics.
7- Florence Griffith-Joyner
Female runners have always been inspired by the achievements of their predecessors. They serve as role models for others to excel in the field. This Football blog has mentioned incredible stories where female athletes challenged gender roles and became hugely successful female footballers.
One of the contemporary names is Florence Griffith-Joyner who is regarded among the greatest sprinters of all time. Her incredible achievements include three gold medals and a silver medal at the 1988 Olympics in South Korea. Her record in the 100m dash is still standing today. The American athlete retired from the sport in 1989 but remained a pop culture figure.
8- Kerron Stewart
Any list of greatest female sprinters would be incomplete without the mention of Kerron Stewart. The Jamaican athlete won an incredible three Olympic gold medals in 2009, 2013 and 2015 in the 4x100m relay. She also won a bronze medal in the 200 metres at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
The Kingston-born athlete holds one of the fastest non-winning times for the women’s 100 meters. She retired from the sport in 2018.
