KATHRINE SWITZER Kathrine Switzer defied convention and inspired change for women in Sport. Born in Amberg, Germany 1947, Switzer was the daughter of a U.S. Army major. Her and her family moved to the United States two years later where she discovered her love for running as a teenager. Throughout history, and still today, women have faced oppression in the sporting world. The early nineteenth century idealised the white woman’s modesty, frowning on sport as a threat to etiquette and fertility. “Healthful beauty”, not aggression or desire to beat your competitors was permitted. These absurd beliefs spilled over for decades to come – fought by brave women like Kathrine Switzer. Whilst attending Syracuse University in New York to study Journalism she began training with the men’s cross-country team. A dream to run the Boston Marathon soon flourished, and reluctantly her coach began training her. The Boston Marathon is the oldest marathon in the world and only allowed male competitors since its creation in 1897. Women were considered too “fragile” to take part. In 1967, Kathrine registered for the Marathon as ‘K.V. Switzer’ against all odds. On April 19th 20-year-old Kathrine (bib number 261) lined up to run. At mile two the race director attacked her mid-stride and tried to remove her from the event - enraged by the sight of a woman participating in this all-male event. The photo of this incident took the world by storm and became one of Time-Life’s “100 Photos that Changed the World.” Radicalised by the incident, Switzer began campaigning for sports equality for women. The Boston Marathon officially let women begin taking part in 1972, later that year she became one of the creators of the first women’s road race. She went on to run 39 marathons and won the New York City Marathon in 1974. She also pioneered the Avon International Running Circuit of women’s only races in 27 countries from 1978 to present. This inspirational series of events largely convinced the International Olympic Committee to finally include a women’s marathon for the first time in the 1984 Olympic Games. She changed the sport of running for women forever and created positive global social change in the process. “Life is for participating, not for spectating”- Katherine Switzer