ROSIE RUIZ
Name: Rosie Ruiz Vivas
Born: born 1953, Havana, Cuba
Rosie Ruiz Vivas (born 1953, Havana, Cuba) is a Cuban American runner who on
April 21, 1980 ostensibly came in as the first place female competitor in the 84th
Boston Marathon with a record time of 2:31:56. However, race officials
determined that she had not completed the entire 26.2-mile course, but had
registered for the race and later jumped in from the crowd and sprinted to the
finish.
There was suspicion from the beginning: no one had seen her running earlier in
the race, she did not appear in videotape footage, and some members of the crowd
reported witnessing her run into the race in the last mile. In addition, her
time of 2:31:56 was an unusual improvement, more than 25 minutes ahead of her
reported time in the New York City Marathon six months earlier. When asked by a
reporter why she didn't seem fatigued after the grueling race, she said, "I got
up with a lot of energy this morning." Soon, race officials learned that Ruiz
had possibly cheated in the New York marathon in order to qualify for the Boston
Marathon. Freelance photographer Susan Morrow reported meeting her on the subway
during the New York race and accompanying her from the subway to the race. She
lost touch with Ruiz after that, but came forward when the news of Ruiz's
dubious Boston win broke. According to Morrow, she met Ruiz on the subway and
together they walked a distance to the finishing area, where Ruiz identified
herself as an injured runner. She was escorted to a first aid station and
volunteers marked her down as having completed the marathon, thus qualifying her
for the Boston Marathon.
Eventually, race officials decided to strip Ruiz of her Boston Marathon title
and named Jacqueline Gareau of Montreal, Canada the women's winner, with a time
of 2:34:28. New York Marathon director Fred Lebow had rescinded Ruiz's 1979
finish earlier that week, determining that Ruiz had not completed her first
marathon, either. As of 2008, Ruiz has not officially finished a sanctioned
marathon.
Name: Rosie Ruiz Vivas
Born: born 1953, Havana, Cuba
Rosie Ruiz Vivas (born 1953, Havana, Cuba) is a Cuban American runner who on
April 21, 1980 ostensibly came in as the first place female competitor in the 84th
Boston Marathon with a record time of 2:31:56. However, race officials
determined that she had not completed the entire 26.2-mile course, but had
registered for the race and later jumped in from the crowd and sprinted to the
finish.
There was suspicion from the beginning: no one had seen her running earlier in
the race, she did not appear in videotape footage, and some members of the crowd
reported witnessing her run into the race in the last mile. In addition, her
time of 2:31:56 was an unusual improvement, more than 25 minutes ahead of her
reported time in the New York City Marathon six months earlier. When asked by a
reporter why she didn't seem fatigued after the grueling race, she said, "I got
up with a lot of energy this morning." Soon, race officials learned that Ruiz
had possibly cheated in the New York marathon in order to qualify for the Boston
Marathon. Freelance photographer Susan Morrow reported meeting her on the subway
during the New York race and accompanying her from the subway to the race. She
lost touch with Ruiz after that, but came forward when the news of Ruiz's
dubious Boston win broke. According to Morrow, she met Ruiz on the subway and
together they walked a distance to the finishing area, where Ruiz identified
herself as an injured runner. She was escorted to a first aid station and
volunteers marked her down as having completed the marathon, thus qualifying her
for the Boston Marathon.
Eventually, race officials decided to strip Ruiz of her Boston Marathon title
and named Jacqueline Gareau of Montreal, Canada the women's winner, with a time
of 2:34:28. New York Marathon director Fred Lebow had rescinded Ruiz's 1979
finish earlier that week, determining that Ruiz had not completed her first
marathon, either. As of 2008, Ruiz has not officially finished a sanctioned
marathon.