“Kathrine Switzer is the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as a numbered entry. She entered and completed the race in 1967, five years before women were officially allowed to compete in it. At twenty years old, she registered under the gender-neutral ‘K. V. Switzer’. Race official Jock Semple attempted to remove her from the race, and is noted to have shouted, ‘Get the hell out of my race and give me those numbers.’ However, Switzer’s boyfriend, who was running with her, shoved Semple aside and sent him flying. Her boyfriend then, along with other male runners, formed a protective barrier for Switzer for the remainder of the race. The photographs taken of the incident made world headlines.”
How stinkin' awesome, right?
No comments:
Post a Comment
Be kind and I will too.