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Adrienne Beames

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Adrienne Beames (7 September 1942, Victoria, Australia – 27 December 2018[1]) was an Australian long-distance runner frequently credited as the first woman to break the 3-hour barrier in the marathon.[2][3]

1971 marathon attempt

In the early 1970s, women's marathoning was met with deep hostility;[3][4][5] the 1500 metres was the longest track event officially recognised for women.[6] When Beames' attempts to officially enter a marathon were thwarted, she and her coach, Fred Warwick, organised an invitational event to be run over a certified course in Werribee.[3][6] Despite Warwick's request, the now defunct Victorian Women's Amateur Athletic Association refused to time the event.[6]

On 31 August 1971, Warwick claimed that Beames had run a 2:46:30 in Werribee, Victoria, Australia, shattering the previous women's world best of 3:01:42 set three months earlier by US-American Beth Bonner at the AAU Eastern Regional Championships in Philadelphia.[2][7] According to some sources, this mark stood until 27 October 1974 when Chantal Langlacé ran 2:46:24 in Neuf-Brisach, France.[2] Some sources question the validity of Beames’ run and indicate that it was Bonner who actually first broke three hours with a 2:55:22 at the New York City Marathon on 19 September 1971.[8] John Craven, a sports writer reporting on the story at the time, questioned whether the course was the required distance.[9]

Dismissed by the press as a "time trial", Beames performance was not officially verified or recognised.[3][4][10][11] The International Association of Athletics Federations, the international governing body for the sport of athletics, does not recognise the mark in their progression for the marathon world best.[12]

1972 record claims

During January 1972, her coach, Fred Warwick, announced a series of private time trials that she had completed, claiming several world records: 15:48.6 for 5,000m, 4:28.8 for the mile, 4:09.6 for 1,500m, and 34:08 for 10,000m. None of these had independent observers, and have been treated with suspicion.[9]

Olympic selection controversy

Beames was suspended by local officials in Sydney when she entered a race without their permission, thereby ending her hopes of competing in the 1972 Munich Olympics.[3] In the 1970s, she moved to the United States where she studied, worked, and competed on the American road racing circuit.[3][6] By 1973, Beames held women's world bests in the 5000 and 10000 as well as the marathon.[13] Beames posted an official 2:46:32 at a marathon in Scottsdale, Arizona on 10 December 1977.[14] She won the inaugural Asics Half Marathon with a 1:22:15 on 23 July 1983.[15][16]

Personal life

Adrienne Beames was the daughter of Australian rules footballer, first-class cricketer, and journalist Percy Beames.[6] She excelled in tennis and squash before taking up running.[6] In 1990, she earned a graduate diploma in sports science.[6]

References

  1. ^ Australian All Time List Archived 24 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine, compiled by Paul Jenes - AA Statisticia, accessed June 2009
  2. ^ a b c "Women's World Record Times - 1971 to 1977". Marathonguide.com. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Howe, Charles. "Out of the bushes, ahead of the ambulance, and into the spotlight: milestones in the history of women's (mostly distance) running, Part I" (PDF). Rundynamics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  4. ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ http://www.marathonguide.com/history/olympicmarathons/chapter25.cfm
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 January 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ^ https://www.arrs.run/MaraList/ML_1971.htm
  8. ^ Benyo, Richard; Henderson, Joe (2002). Running Encyclopedia. Human Kinetics. p. 290. ISBN 9780736037341. adrienne beames.
  9. ^ a b Mark, national sport reporter David (21 December 2019). "'Nobody else saw it': The mystery of a women's world record that defies belief". ABC News. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  10. ^ https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1971.htm
  11. ^ http://www.cafyd.com/HistDeporte/htm/pdf/2-23.pdf - states that Beames was disqualified by the Australian Federation
  12. ^ "12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009" (PDF). Monte Carlo: IAAF Media & Public Relations Department. 2009. p. 653. Archived from the original (pdf) on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  13. ^ benson.com Archived 14 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1977.htm - Beames was officially disqualified for course cutting and second placed Sue Kinsey credited with winning
  15. ^ Gold Coast Marathon Archived 30 December 2012 at archive.today
  16. ^ arrs.run
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