Adrienne Beames
Encyclopedia
Adrienne Beames is an Australian long-distance runner frequently credited as the first woman to break the 3-hour barrier in the marathon. On 31 August 1971, Beames ran 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. According to some sources, this mark stood until 27 October 1974 when Chantal Langlacé
ran 2:46:24 in Neuf-Brisach, France.
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. In the early 1970s, women's marathoning was met with deep hostility; the 1500 meters was the longest track event officially recognized for women. When Beames' attempts to officially enter a marathon were thwarted, she and her coach, Fred Warwick, organized an invitational event to be run over a certified course in Werribee. Despite Warwick's request, the now defunct Victorian Women's Amateur Athletic Association
refused to time the event. Dismissed by the press as a "time trial
", Beames performance was not officially verified or recognized. The International Association of Athletics Federations
, the international governing body
for the sport of athletics, does not recognize the mark in their progression for the marathon world best.
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
. In the 1970s, she moved to the United States
where she studied, worked, and competed on the American road racing
circuit. By 1973, Beames held women’s world bests in the 5000 and 10000 as well as the marathon. Despite the doubts that had previously been cast upon her running abilities, Beames posted an official 2:46:25 at a marathon in Scottsdale, Arizona
on 10 December 1977. She won the inaugural Asics Half Marathon
with a 1:22:15 on 23 July 1983.
Adrienne Beames is a mother of three and the daughter of Australian rules football
er, first-class cricket
er, and journalist
Percy Beames
. She excelled in tennis and squash before taking up running. In 1990, she earned a graduate diploma
in sports science
.
Werribee, Victoria
Werribee is a city in Melbourne, Australia, 32 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Wyndham. At the 2006 Census, Werribee had a population of 36,641. Statistically, Werribee is considered part of Greater Melbourne.Werribee is...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 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. According to some sources, this mark stood until 27 October 1974 when Chantal Langlacé
Chantal Langlacé
Chantal Langlacé is a former French long-distance runner who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on two different occasions...
ran 2:46:24 in Neuf-Brisach, France.
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
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
on 19 September 1971. In the early 1970s, women's marathoning was met with deep hostility; the 1500 meters was the longest track event officially recognized for women. When Beames' attempts to officially enter a marathon were thwarted, she and her coach, Fred Warwick, organized an invitational event to be run over a certified course in Werribee. Despite Warwick's request, the now defunct Victorian Women's Amateur Athletic Association
Old Melburnians Athletics Club
The Old Melburnians Athletics Club is a track and field club based in Melbourne, Australia.-History:The precursor to the O.M.A.C. was the "Hare & Hounds" club, which organized various runs and competitions.Started in 1892, it was one of the four founding clubs of the Victorian Amateur Athletic...
refused to time the event. Dismissed by the press as a "time trial
Time trial
In many racing sports an athlete will compete in a time trial against the clock to secure the fastest time. In cycling, for example, a time trial can be a single track cycling event, or an individual or team time trial on the road, and either or both of the latter may form components of...
", Beames performance was not officially verified or recognized. The International Association of Athletics Federations
International Association of Athletics Federations
The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation...
, the international governing body
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
for the sport of athletics, does not recognize the mark in their progression for the marathon world best.
Beames was suspended by local officials in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
when she entered a race without their permission, thereby ending her hopes of competing in the 1972 Munich Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
. In the 1970s, she moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where she studied, worked, and competed on the American road racing
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
circuit. By 1973, Beames held women’s world bests in the 5000 and 10000 as well as the marathon. Despite the doubts that had previously been cast upon her running abilities, Beames posted an official 2:46:25 at a marathon in Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
on 10 December 1977. She won the inaugural Asics Half Marathon
Gold Coast Marathon
The Gold Coast Marathon is an annual marathon race in the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, which was first run in 1979....
with a 1:22:15 on 23 July 1983.
Adrienne Beames is a mother of three and the daughter of Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er, first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
er, and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
Percy Beames
Percy Beames
Percy James Beames was an Australian rules footballer with Melbourne and first-class cricketer at state level for Victoria. He later became a distinguished journalist, covering both sports for Melbourne's The Age until 1976....
. She excelled in tennis and squash before taking up running. In 1990, she earned a graduate diploma
Graduate Diploma
A Graduate Diploma is generally a postgraduate qualification, although some graduate diplomas involve the study of undergraduate level courses...
in sports science
Sports science
Sport science is a discipline that studies the application of scientific principles and techniques with the aim of improving sporting performance...
.