Joan Benoit

Joan Benoit
Benoit in 2008
Personal information
Full nameJoan Benoit Samuelson
Born (1957-05-16) May 16, 1957 (age 67)
Cape Elizabeth, Maine, U.S.
Height5 ft 2 in (157 cm)
Weight100 lb (45 kg)
SpouseScott Samuelson (m. September 29, 1984) [1]
Sport
CountryUSA
SportTrack and field athletics
Event(s)3000 m, Marathon
College teamBowdoin, North Carolina State
ClubAthletics West
Coached byBob Sevene
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals1984
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1984 Los Angeles Marathon
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1983 Caracas 3,000 metres

Joan Benoit Samuelson (born May 16, 1957) is an American marathon runner who was the first women's Olympic Games marathon champion, winning the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.[2] She held the fastest time for an American woman at the Chicago Marathon for 32 years after winning the race in 1985.[3][4] Her time at the Boston Marathon was the fastest time by an American woman at that race for 28 years.[5] She was inducted into the Maine Women's Hall of Fame in 2000.

  1. ^ Joe Concannon, "Lopes is Chicago's Lure," Boston Globe, October 20, 1984, p. 28.
  2. ^ "MarathonGuide.com - Marathon Records". www.marathonguide.com.
  3. ^ "Bank of America Chicago Marathon". chicago-history.r.mikatiming.de. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  4. ^ "Race history - Bank of America Chicago Marathon". Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  5. ^ "10 Best American Marathoners of All Time". ACTIVE.com. August 12, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2018.