Latest news with #womensrunning
Washington Post
10 hours ago
- Health
- Washington Post
Nina Kuscsik, marathon pioneer and first (official) winner of Boston women's race, has died
BOSTON — Nina Kuscsik, who campaigned for women's inclusion in long-distance running and then won the Boston Marathon the first year that they were officially allowed to enter into the race, has died. She was 86. An obituary for the A.L. Jacobsen Funeral Home in Huntington Station, New York, said Kuscsik died June 8 of respiratory failure after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Al Arabiya
10 hours ago
- Health
- Al Arabiya
Nina Kuscsik, Pioneer in Long-Distance Running and First Woman to Win the Boston Marathon, Has Died
Nina Kuscsik, who campaigned for women's inclusion in long-distance running and then won the Boston Marathon the first year that they were officially allowed to enter the race, has died. She was 86. An obituary for the A.L. Jacobsen Funeral Home in Huntington Station, New York, said Kuscsik died June 8 of respiratory failure after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. 'Nina was more than a pioneer, determined women's running advocate, and celebrated icon within the sport. To us, she was a friend who will always be remembered for her kindness, joyful laugh, and smile,' the Boston Athletic Association said on Instagram. 'Nina held the distinct honor of winning the 1972 Boston Marathon and recognized the platform that came with that triumphant moment, inspiring thousands of women to reach their own goals and finish lines in the decades since. The BAA extends heartfelt condolences to Nina's family, friends, and all in the running community who were touched by her grace.' According to the obituary, Kuscsik graduated from high school at 16, studied nursing for two years, and received her license at 18 after petitioning to change a New York law that required nurses to be 21. She won state championships in speed skating, roller skating, and cycling – all in the same year – before turning to running when her bicycle broke. She ran the Boston Marathon four times from 1968–71 – before women were officially welcomed, a period retroactively recognized as the Pioneer Era – and then won the first official women's race in 1972. She was also the first woman to enter the New York race in 1970 and was one of the Six Who Sat – six women who refused to start the '72 New York City Marathon for 10 minutes to protest an Amateur Athletic Union rule that the women's race had to be separate from the men's. She won that year and the next year as well. She later served on AAU and USA Track and Field committees drafting rules for women's running. Kathrine Switzer, who entered the 1971 Boston Marathon using her initials and became the first woman to officially compete, called Kuscsik 'one of our greatest leaders.' 'Nina was not only a champion runner but was instrumental in the official acceptance of women in distance running because she did years of tough work of changing rules, regulations, and submitting medical evidence to prove women's capability,' said Switzer, who started alongside Kuscsik and six other women who met the qualifying time for the 1972 Boston race. 'Eight of us registered, eight of us showed up, and all eight of us finished,' she said. 'It was a stunning moment – and a blistering hot day – but appropriately enough, Nina won.' In addition to the more than 80 marathons she ran over her lifetime, Kuscsik set the American record for the 50-mile run in 1977 and won the Empire State Building Run-Up three straight years from 1979–81. She was inducted into the Long Distance Running Hall of Fame in 1999.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Nina Kuscsik, pioneer in long-distance running and first woman to win the Boston Marathon, has died
FILE - Nina Kuscsik of Huntington, N.Y., stands atop the Empire State Building in midtown New York City Thursday, Feb. 15, 1979, after becoming the first woman to complete the second Empire State Run-up. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler,File) FILE - Olavi Suomalainen of Finland, winner of the men's division of the Boston A.A. Marathon April 17, 1972, kisses Nina Kuscsik of Long Island, N.Y., winner of the women's division, at the trophy presentation April 18, 1972. (AP Photo/File) FILE - Nina Kuscsik of Huntington, N.Y., stands atop the Empire State Building in midtown New York City Thursday, Feb. 15, 1979, after becoming the first woman to complete the second Empire State Run-up. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler,File) FILE - Olavi Suomalainen of Finland, winner of the men's division of the Boston A.A. Marathon April 17, 1972, kisses Nina Kuscsik of Long Island, N.Y., winner of the women's division, at the trophy presentation April 18, 1972. (AP Photo/File) BOSTON (AP) — Nina Kuscsik, who campaigned for women's inclusion in long-distance running and then won the Boston Marathon the first year that they were officially allowed to enter into the race, has died. She was 86. An obituary for the A.L. Jacobsen Funeral Home in Huntington Station, New York, said Kuscsik died June 8 of respiratory failure after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. Advertisement 'Nina was more than a pioneer, determined women's running advocate, and celebrated icon within the sport. To us, she was a friend who will always be remembered for her kindness, joyful laugh and smile,' the Boston Athletic Association said on Instagram. 'Nina held the distinct honor of winning the 1972 Boston Marathon, and recognized the platform that came with that triumphant moment, inspiring thousands of women to reach their own goals and finish lines in the decades since. The BAA extends heartfelt condolences to Nina's family, friends, and all in the running community who were touched by her grace.' According to the obituary, Kuscsik graduated from high school at 16, studied nursing for two years and received her license at 18 after petitioning to change a New York law that required nurses to be 21. She won state championships in speed skating, roller skating and cycling – all in the same year -- before turning to running when her bicycle broke. She ran the Boston Marathon four times from 1968-71 — before women were officially welcomed, a period retroactively recognized as the Pioneer Era — and then won the first official women's race in 1972. Advertisement She was also the first woman to enter the New York race, in 1970, and was one of the 'Six who Sat' – six women who refused to start the '72 New York City Marathon for 10 minutes to protest an Amateur Athletic Union rule that the women's race had to be separate from the men's. She won that year and the next year as well. She later served on AAU and USA Track and Field committees drafting rules for women's running. Kathrine Switzer, who entered the 1971 Boston Marathon using her initials and became the first woman to official compete, called Kuscsik 'one of our greatest leaders.' 'Nina was not only a champion runner, but was instrumental in the official acceptance of women and distance running because she did years of tough work of changing rules, regulations and submitting medical evidence to prove women's capability," said Switzer, who started alongside Kuscsik and six other women who met the qualifying time for the the 1972 Boston race. 'Eight of us registered, eight of us showed up, and all eight of us finished,' she said. 'It was a stunning moment — and a blistering hot day — but appropriately enough, Nina won.' Advertisement In addition to the more than 80 marathons she ran over her lifetime, Kuscsik set the American record for the 50-mile run in 1977 and won the Empire State Building Run-Up three straight years from 1979–81. She was inducted into the Long Distance Running Hall of Fame in 1999. ___ AP sports:
Associated Press
10 hours ago
- Health
- Associated Press
Nina Kuscsik, pioneer in long-distance running and first woman to win the Boston Marathon, has died
BOSTON (AP) — Nina Kuscsik, who campaigned for women's inclusion in long-distance running and then won the Boston Marathon the first year that they were officially allowed to enter into the race, has died. She was 86. An obituary for the A.L. Jacobsen Funeral Home in Huntington Station, New York, said Kuscsik died June 8 of respiratory failure after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. 'Nina was more than a pioneer, determined women's running advocate, and celebrated icon within the sport. To us, she was a friend who will always be remembered for her kindness, joyful laugh and smile,' the Boston Athletic Association said on Instagram. 'Nina held the distinct honor of winning the 1972 Boston Marathon, and recognized the platform that came with that triumphant moment, inspiring thousands of women to reach their own goals and finish lines in the decades since. The BAA extends heartfelt condolences to Nina's family, friends, and all in the running community who were touched by her grace.' According to the obituary, Kuscsik graduated from high school at 16, studied nursing for two years and received her license at 18 after petitioning to change a New York law that required nurses to be 21. She won state championships in speed skating, roller skating and cycling – all in the same year -- before turning to running when her bicycle broke. She ran the Boston Marathon four times from 1968-71 — before women were officially welcomed, a period retroactively recognized as the Pioneer Era — and then won the first official women's race in 1972. She was also the first woman to enter the New York race, in 1970, and was one of the 'Six who Sat' – six women who refused to start the '72 New York City Marathon for 10 minutes to protest an Amateur Athletic Union rule that the women's race had to be separate from the men's. She won that year and the next year as well. She later served on AAU and USA Track and Field committees drafting rules for women's running. Kathrine Switzer, who entered the 1971 Boston Marathon using her initials and became the first woman to official compete, called Kuscsik 'one of our greatest leaders.' 'Nina was not only a champion runner, but was instrumental in the official acceptance of women and distance running because she did years of tough work of changing rules, regulations and submitting medical evidence to prove women's capability,' said Switzer, who started alongside Kuscsik and six other women who met the qualifying time for the the 1972 Boston race. 'Eight of us registered, eight of us showed up, and all eight of us finished,' she said. 'It was a stunning moment — and a blistering hot day — but appropriately enough, Nina won.' In addition to the more than 80 marathons she ran over her lifetime, Kuscsik set the American record for the 50-mile run in 1977 and won the Empire State Building Run-Up three straight years from 1979–81. She was inducted into the Long Distance Running Hall of Fame in 1999. ___ AP sports:
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
First woman to run in Boston Marathon visiting Atlanta
One of the most well-known women in running is visiting Atlanta this weekend for a race. The moment that the race director of the Boston Marathon attacked runner Katherine Switzer in 1967 has become iconic. Advertisement She persevered and completed the race, and in doing so became the first woman in history to officially run the Boston Marathon. Her race number, 261, resonated with women around the world. 'Who would ever have imagined that an official attacking me in the Boston Marathon and trying to rip off my bib number, 261, would result in a marvelous global nonprofit that helps women around the world?' Switzer said. 'People began emailing me and writing to me and saying, 'That number makes me feel fearless. I'm wearing it on my back in the New York City Marathon tomorrow.'' [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Twenty years ago, Edith Zuschmann met Switzer at a race in Austria. Their friendship sparked the idea for a global women's running community. Advertisement 'I wanted to create a space where women can just show up and don't need to worry about being judged,' Zuschmann said. Established in 2016, 261 Fearless is a nonprofit organization that has empowered more than 500 women through non-competitive running and education programs. 'If you want to lift a woman up, show her how to run. If you want her to take control of her life, give her an education,' Switzer said. She is in town for the 2025 Northside Hospital Atlanta Women's Four-miler. It was held Saturday morning at Lenox Square. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
