On the occasion of the release of our Health & Body Routine sports pack, let's discover the story of a sportswoman who through her courage and determination changed the history and the world of sport: Kathrine Switzer, the first marathon runner of the history.
Born in 1947 in Germany, Kathrine Switzer has always been passionate about sport. Unfortunately at that time, the marathon was prohibited for women on the pretext that this activity would be dangerous for their health.
The only woman in her cross-country club, she decides, despite the ban, to register for the marathon by providing only her initials. The organizers try to take her bib and prevent her from starting the race but she resists and thus becomes the first woman to complete a competitive marathon.
Kathrine Switzer will subsequently be disqualified from the race and suspended from the American Athletics Federation, but she engages in a fight to make the marathon accessible to women.
In 1972 she obtained victory: the Boston marathon opened to women and she won 3rd place.
