Weaker sex

Who said women are the weaker sex? History tell us that in the ancient Games, women were not allowed to participate, worse, they were even banned from attending as spectators, if they did, punishment would be death. Some, however, tried to break the rules by dressing up as men, and were thrown over a cliff for defying the order.  Even Baron Pierre de Coubertin, author of the modern Olympics, was against women competing. Coubertin said they do not have the stamina. During the 1896 Games, there were no women competing, but in 1928, women were finally allowed to participate in athletics (100m, 4x100m relay, high jump, discus and 800m. In that Olympics in Amsterdam, some women finished, some collapsed thus the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) thought women should not run farther than 200 meters. Comte De Baillet Latour, then president of the IOC, wanted to remove all women’s sports from the Olympics, but people pointed out that men also faint in sporting events. But the IAAF had their say and women’s races longer than 200 meters were banned from the Olympics and did not return until 1960. In the 1960 Rome olympics, the 800 meters was included, then in the 1972 Munich Olympics, women were allowed to run the 1500 meter here was question.  Women athletes were getting stronger and for the first time in 1984 in Los Angeles, the women’s marathon was staged for the first time. The 10,000 meters was included in 1988 in Seoul and the 5,000 meters in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.  Boston also did not allow women to join until 1972 with Nina Kuscsik winning in 3:10:26.

Men versus women

Several years ago, women runners complained against Nancy Navalta who was later banned from national and international competition after she was found out to have more male genes. She beat the female sprinters like Elma Muros, but could not stand up to the male runners. Here are some disadvantages when women compete against men. Women have smaller hearts, so the heart pump less blood with each beat.  Women have lower hemoglobin levels, so less oxygen is sent to working muscles. Women have higher essential body fat stores than men and women’s lower levels of testosterone, which means that women have less muscles mass than men.  But don’t tell that to women today.  In Cebu for instance, ultramarathoners Rhoda Oporto, Precious Sanchez and Haide Acuna could shame a lot of male runners. Rhoda has run over 250 kilometers in an ultra race while Precious and Haide have finished over 100 kilometers.

Did you know?

Joan Benoit Samuelson won the Olympic Marathon Trials just 17 days after having arthroscopic surgery on her knee.  She also ran 5 miles on the morning before she gave birth to her second child. Joan smashed the 1983 Boston Marathon record when she won in 2 hours, 22 minutes and 42 seconds. She also won the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Marathon.