The Norwegian marathon great who won New York City Marathon 9 times, has died of cancer aged 57
Grete Waitz, the elite Norwegian runner who won nine New York City Marathons and a silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, died after a long battle with cancer.
Waitz was a pioneer of female distance running. She was amongst the first women allowed to participate in the 1500-meter distance at the Olympic Games in Munic and one of the first women to run the 3000 meters in competitive races.
She entered her first marathon in 1978 in New York City. She not only won this marathon but also set a world record in the process. She continued to win the race a further 8 times - more often than any other athlete.
In 1984, she ran the Olympic Marathon the first time it was offered for women, and earned a silver medal in the effort. She went on to set four world records in the event after breaking the two-hour, thirty-minute mark.
Waitz is survived by her husband Jack Waitz and her two brothers, Jan and Arild.
