First female Olympic marathon champion Joan Benoit Samuelson is competing in the 117th KIA Lima Half Marathon and 10K in Peru on Sunday, August 23.
The 69-year-old American running legend won gold in the 42.195-kilometer event at the 1984 Los Angeles Games with a time of 2:24:52.
The event in the Peruvian capital expects a total of 21,000 runners. Among the entrants, 65 percent will compete in the 21K half marathon distance, while 35 percent will run the 10K race. A delegation of 200 elite athletes and runners with disabilities will also take part.
Before race day, the American athlete will participate in an interactive meeting with runners at the pre-race Expo. She is also scheduled to attend a private panel discussion analyzing the development of distance running.
Pioneering Olympic victory in Los Angeles
Benoit Samuelson built her reputation in distance running by winning the Boston Marathon in 1979 and 1983. Just weeks before the American selection trials for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, she underwent knee surgery that threatened her qualification. She recovered to win the trials, later noting that she ran that race on a wing and a prayer.
On August 5, 1984, Benoit Samuelson won the inaugural Olympic women's marathon at the Los Angeles Games. She took the lead during the third mile and maintained a solo pace until reaching the finish line at the Memorial Coliseum.
World Athletics highlights that the American runner finished ahead of Norwegian runner Grete Waitz by a margin of 1 minute and 26 seconds, with Portugal's Rosa Mota completing the podium. Addressing her strategy against the intense California heat, Benoit Samuelson said she decided to run her own race.
In 1985, Benoit Samuelson won the Chicago Marathon in 2:21:21, establishing a United States national record that stood until 2003. When returning to track competition in 2010, she declared that she never thought she would still be competing 25 years later and challenging herself with new goals. Her profile in the United States Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame notes her vision that she views victories as milestones on a very long road.
Race schedule and historic Lima course
The race on Sunday, August 23, begins at 5:00 a.m. at the Plaza Mayor in central Lima. The 10K distance starts at 6:00 a.m., followed by the 21K half marathon at 7:00 a.m. Both routes finish at the Circuito Magico del Agua.
Organized by Peru Runners, the event marks its 117th edition. Founded in 1909, it is recognized as the oldest half marathon in the world and holds a World Athletics Heritage Plaque for its historical legacy. The course connects the historic center of Lima with the modern areas of the city. Finishing runners will receive a medal featuring the letter M, representing the third piece of the City of Lima Classic collection, which previously issued L in 2024 and I in 2025 before concluding with A in 2027.
Next destination in Santiago
Following her appearance in Peru, Benoit Samuelson will travel to Chile to feature as the main attraction at the Itau Santiago Half Marathon on Sunday, August 30. The women-only event sold out all 6,000 registration spots after organizers announced the participation of the 1984 Olympic champion. At age 69, the American runner continues to compete internationally and inspire new generations of distance runners.
