Women's Marathon Agony
In 1984, Gabriela Andersen-Scheiss shocked the world by completing the first Olympic women's marathon in a state of virtual collapse.
In 1984, the women's marathon was held in the Olympic Games for the first time.
But to the horror of the crowd in Los Angeles, one of the runners, Gabriela Andersen-Scheiss of Switzerland, entered the stadium in a state of virtual collapse from heat exhaustion.
The 40-year-old ski instructor was not used to the hot Californian climate. She had to hobble her way around the final lap of the race.
The crowd of ninety thousand people in the LA Memorial Colosseum cheered her on as she made it to the finish line.
Andersen-Scheiss tells Ashley Byrne about her ordeal. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production that first aired in 2016.
(Photo: Andersen-Scheiss finishing the race in 1984. Credit: John W. McDonough/ Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Last on
More episodes
Broadcasts
- Sat 2 Mar 2024 05:50GMT91热爆 World Service East and Southern Africa & Europe and the Middle East only
- Sat 2 Mar 2024 18:50GMT91热爆 World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Sat 2 Mar 2024 19:50GMT91热爆 World Service West and Central Africa
- Sun 3 Mar 2024 00:50GMT91热爆 World Service except Americas and the Caribbean, East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Sun 3 Mar 2024 04:50GMT91热爆 World Service except East and Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa
- Mon 4 Mar 2024 00:50GMT91热爆 World Service West and Central Africa
- Mon 4 Mar 2024 03:50GMT91热爆 World Service East and Southern Africa
Podcast
-
Sporting Witness
Personal stories of amazing moments from sporting history told by people who were there