2004 Hall of Fame Inductee
The winner of the first Olympic women's marathon at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Joan Benoit Samuelson is synonymous with the increased popularity of long distance running in the United States. Samuelson won the Olympic Trials Marathon at age 26, just 17 days following agonizing knee surgery. Samuelson, who was ranked #1 in the world in the marathon on two occasions, is a former world and U.S. record holder in that event. She was the 1981 U.S. 10,000m champion and the 1984 U.S. women's marathon champion. Samuelson set the world and U.S. women's marathon record in 1984, and set the U.S. women's marathon record on four occasions. She was ranked #4 in the world at 10,000m in 1984, and she was world ranked five-times in the marathon (#1 two times). She is a pioneer of women's marathoning, who won the 1979 and 1983 Boston Marathons, the 1992 Columbus Marathon and the 1985 Chicago Marathon. In 1985, she was awarded the prestigious AAU Sullivan Award as the nation's finest amateur athlete. She is the mother of two daughters, Abby and Anders. Events 10,000 m - 32:07.41 Marathon - 2:21:21 Records Held World Record (road): Marathon - 2:22:43 American Record (road): Half-Marathon - 1:08:34 American Record (road): 25 km - 1:24:43 American Record (road): Marathon - 2:21:21 Championships 1984 Olympic Games: Marathon - 2:24:52 (1st) 1981 USA Outdoor Championships: 10,000 m - 33:37.50 (1st) 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials: Marathon - 2:31:04 (1st) 1983 Pan-Am Games: 3,000 m - 9:14.19 (1st) Occupations Author Motivational speaker