TRAILBLAZERS

Three more sportswomen who led the way

VIOLET PIERCY

On Oct 3, 1926, Violet Piercy from London became the first woman to run a marathon recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). Her time was 3:40:22

ALICE MILLIAT

In 1921, after the refusal of the IOC and the IAAF to let women take part in track and field events in the 1924 Olympics, this advocate for women’s sport formed La Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale and in 1922 she organised the Women’s World Games. Without the Frenchwoman’s perseverance, Betty Robinson probably would not have made it to Amsterdam.

TIDYE PICKETT

The first African American female Olympian ran the 80m hurdles in the 1936 Berlin Games. She and fellow African American, Louise Stokes, had been part of the 4x100m relay team pool in the 1932 LA Games but were overlooked in favour of two white runners. ‘Some people did not want to admit we were better runners,’ she said.