Violet Piercy

Violet Stewart Louisa Piercy (24 December 1889[1] – April 1972) was an English long-distance runner who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set the first women's world best in the marathon on 3 October 1926 with a time of 3:40:22.[2] [nb 1] Piercy was reported to have run unofficially[5] and her mark was set on the Polytechnic Marathon course between Windsor and London.[6][nb 2]

According to the IAAF, Piercy's mark stood 37 years until Merry Lepper's 3:37:07 performance at the Western Hemisphere Marathon on 16 December 1963.[2][nb 3]

Piercy died in April 1972 in a London hospital after suffering a brain haemorrhage, hypertension and chronic kidney-related infection.[13] The death certificate mistakenly gave her surname as Pearson.[13]

Notes

  1. ↑ The marathon world record progression of the Association of Road Running Statisticians includes Piercy, however, it notes Marie-Louise Ledru of France as the first woman.[3] According to the ARRS, Ledru ran 5:40:xx at the Tour de Paris Marathon held on 29 September 1918.[4]
  2. ↑ A number of sources, including Kathrine Switzer, have reported that the venue for Piercy's mark was the actual Polytechnic Marathon;[7] however, records from the Association of Road Racing Statisticians confirm that the 1926 Polytechnic Marathon was held on 18 May.[8] The course for the Polytechnic Marathon did vary over the years[9] and there is currently very little information available to state exactly which route was run by Piercy. Although the IAAF progression notes the location for her performance as "Chiswick",[2] the Polytechnic Marathon did not end in Chiswick until 1938.[9] Prior to 1933, the Polytechnic Marathon ended at Stamford Bridge in West London.[9] An ESPN reference does note Stamford Bridge as the location where Piercy's run finished.[10]
  3. ↑ According to the Association of Road Racing Statisticians, the course for the Western Hemisphere Marathon was short in 1962 and 1963.[11] The ARRS also notes the date of the race as 14 December 1963.[11][12]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/dnb/103698.html
  2. 1 2 3 "12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009." (pdf). Monte Carlo: IAAF Media & Public Relations Department. 2009. p. 653. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  3. ↑ http://www.arrs.net/RecProg/RP_wwR.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.arrs.net/HP_ParisTourMa.htm
  5. ↑ Sporting Females: Critical Issues in the History and Sociology of Women's Sports By Jennifer Hargreaves
  6. ↑ Noakes, Tim (2003). The Lore of Running (Fourth ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 675. ISBN 0-87322-959-2.
  7. ↑ http://www.runwashington.com/archive0209/features/misckateswitzer.html
  8. ↑ http://www.arrs.net/HP_PolyM.htm
  9. 1 2 3 http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/history.htm
  10. ↑ http://www.espn.co.uk/espn/sport/story/159.html
  11. 1 2 "Western Hemisphere Marathon". Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 10 May 2010. The 1962-63 courses are considered to have been short.
  12. ↑ "World Marathon Rankings for 1963". Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  13. 1 2 Rob Hadgraft. "Violet and Paula - England's gift to the marathon world!". Diary of a Clapped-Out Runner. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
Records
Preceded by
record established		 Women's Marathon World Record Holder
3 October 1926 – 16 December 1963*
(*see explanation in the Notes section) 		Succeeded by
Merry Lepper


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