The women’s marathon became part of the Olympic track and field program in 1984. Athletes representing the Independent States, Ethiopia, Japan, Portugal, Romania and the United States won. Japan has won the race twice, the most by a single nation. Although no woman has won the race more than once, there have been many medalists, including 1984 bronze medalist Rosa Mota of Portugal, who won gold in 1988; 1992 gold medalist Valentina Yegorova of Russia, who won silver in 1996; and Catherine Ndereba, Kenya, who won silver in 2004 and 2008.
Thirteen (13) nations/teams have won Olympic medals in the marathon. Japan leads the medals with 4 (2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze), followed by Kenya with 3 (2 silver, 1 bronze), Romania with 2 (1 gold, 1 silver), Portugal with 2 (1 gold, 1 bronze, and with 2 United-states-air-force”>I. Independent States and Ethiopia have one gold medal 1; Australia , Norway and Russia each have a silver medal; China, the German Democratic Republic, and New Zealand each have a bronze medal.
Twenty-two (22) nations/teams have competed in the Olympic Marathon. Japan leads the scoring with 47 points, Kenya (31), Romania (22), Portugal (20), Ethiopia (18), United States (16), China (15), Russia (15), Norway (13), Independent States (11), Australia (10), Germany (10), New Zealand (10), Great Britain (6), German Democratic Republic (6), Soviet Union (5), Spain (4), Italy (4), North Korea (4), Serbia (3), Luxembourg (2), Canada (1. ).
1984 Los Angeles (August 5
World Best: 2:22:43 Joan Benoit (United States ) on April 18, 1983
1, Joan Benoit (United States) 2:24:52 (OR)
2, Grete Waitz (Norway) 2:26:18
3, Rosa Mota (Portugal) 2:26:57.
4, Ingrid Kristiansen (Norway) 2:27:34.
5, Lorraine Moller (New Zealand) 2:28:34.
6, Prisca Welch (Great Britain/England) 2:28:54
7, Lisa Martin (Australia) 2:29:03.
8, Sylvie Ruegger (Canada) 2:29:09
1988 Seoul (September 23)
World Best: 2:21:06 Irene Kristiansen (Norway) April 21, 1985
Olympia Best: 2:24:52 Johan Benoit (United States) Aug . 5, 1984
1, Rosa Mota (Portugal) 2:25:40.
2, Lisa Martin (Australia) 2:25:53
3, Kathrin Dorre (German Democratic Republic) 2:26:21
4, Tatyana Polovinskaya (Soviet Union/Ukraine) 2:27:05
5, Zhao Youfeng (China) 2:27:06
6, Laura Fogli (Italy) 2:27:49
7, Daniel Kaber (Luxembourg) 2:29, 23;
8, Maria Curatolo (Italy) 2:30:14.
1992 Barcelona
World Best: 2:21:06 Irene Kristiansen (Norway) April 21, 1985
Olympia Best: 2:24:52 John Benoit (United States) August 5, 1984
1, Valentina Yegorova (CIS/Russia) 2:32:41
2, Yuko Arimori (Japan) 2:32:49.
3, Lorraine Moller (New Zealand) 2:23:59.
4, Sachiko Yamashita (Japan) 2:26:26
5, Katrin Dörre (Germany) 2:26:48.
6, Mun Gyong Ae (North Korea) 2.37.03
7. Manuela Machado (Lusitania) 2.38.22
8, Ramilia Burangulova (Independent Republic/Russia) 2.38.46
DQ Madina Biktagirova (Republic of Independent States/Belarus) 2:35:39
1996 Atlanta (July 28
World Best: 2:21:06 Irene Kristiansen (Norway) April 21, 1985
Olympia Best: 2:24:52 John Benoit (United States) August 5, 1984
1, Fatuma Roba (Ethiopia) 2:26:05
2, Valentina Yegorova (Russia) 2:28:05
3, Yuko Arimori (Japan) 2:28:39
4, Katrin Döerre-Heinig (Germany) 2:28:45.
5, Rocio Rios (Spain) 2:30:50
6, Lidia Simon (Romania) 2:31:04.
7, Maria Machado (Lusitania) 2, 31, 11;
8, Sonja Krolik (Germany) 2:31:16.
2000 Sydney (September 24
The World’s Best: 2:20:48 Tegla Loroupe (Kenya) September 26, 1999
Olympia Best: 2:24:52 John Benoit (United States) August 5, 1984
1, Naoko Takahashi (Japan) 2:23:14 (OR).
2, Lydia Simon (Romania) 2:23:22
3, Joyce Chepchumba (Kenya) 2:24:45.
4, Esther Wanjiru (Kenya) 2:26:17
5, Madina Biktagirova (Russia) 2:26:33.
6, Elfenesh Alemu (Ethiopia) 2:26:54
7, Eri Yamaguchi (Japan) 2:27:03.
8, Ham Bong-Sil (North Korea), 2:27:07
2004 Athenaeus (
World Record: 2:15:25 (2:15:24.6) Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain) April 13, 2003
Olympic Record: 2:23:14 Naoko Takahashi (Japan) September 24, 2000
1, Mizuki Noguchi (Japan) 2:26:20
2, Catherine Ndereba (Kenya) 2:26:32
3, Deena Kastor (United States) 2:27:20
4, Elfenesh Alemu (Ethiopia) 2:28, 15.
5, Reiko Tosa (Japan) 2:28:44
6, Olivera Jevtic (Serbia) 2:31:15
7, Naoko Sakamoto (Japan) 2:31:43.
8, Lyudmila Petrova (Russia) 2:31:56
2008 Beijing (August 17
World Record: 2:15:25 (2:15:24.6) Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain) April 13, 2003
Olympic Record: 2:23:14 Naoko Takahashi (Japan) September 24, 2000
1, Constantina Dita-Tomescu (Romania) 2:26, 44.
2, Catherine Ndereba (Kenya) 2:27:06.
3, Chunxiu Zhou (China) 2:27:07
4, Xiaolin Zhu (China) 2:27:07
5th Martha Komu (Kenya) 2:27:23.
6. Mara Yamauchi (Great Britain/England) 2:27:29
7, Irina Timofeeva (Russia) 2:27:31
8, Lidia Simon (Romania) 2:27:51.
References:
Athletics Women’s Marathon, Sports Reference/Olympic Sports
International Association of Athletics Federations, IAAF Statistics Records Daegu 2011, Part IV (IAAF Media & Public Relations Department, 2011);
Wallechinsky, David, and Jaime Loucky, The Complete Book of the Olympics: 2012 Edition (London: Gold Press, 2012).
