Debut in Olympics
Marathon Women was introduced in the Olympics at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games. Thereafter, the event has been the feature of all summer Olympics.
Rules and Regulations
As for all athletics events, rules and regulations for marathon too have been set by International Association of Athletics Federations or IAAF. Basic rules set by the IAAF for the marathon are given as under.
- Marathon athletes are not allowed to run on soft land. The event has to be organized on metalled roads.
- For convenience of the athletes, the starting and finishing points of the marathon should be properly marked.
- An athlete has to reach the finishing point for getting any credit.
- Organizers have to well-mark the different stages of the race.
- Any sprinter is bound to leave the race if directed by an official medical staff.
- Refreshment stations have been specified for the athletes where they can have refreshments. They are not allowed to take refreshments in any other places.
- The athletes should be informed in advance about the distance and route they have to run.
- A marathon athlete cannot leave the road without prior permission of a judge. And if he comes out of the course, he has to be under constant supervision of the judge so that he might not take a short route for the finishing point.
Athletes who have performed will in the Marathon Olympics for Women are Paula RadcliffeValentina Yegorova, Mizuki Noguchi, Naoko Takahashi, Fatuma Roba, Deena Kastor, Rosa Mota, Joan Benoit, Catherine Ndereba, Lidia Simon, Yuko Arimori, Lisa Martin, Grete Waitz, and Joyce Chepchumba.
