European Athletics (EAA) – News – European Athletics mourns passing of Grete Waitz

It is with great sadness that European Athletics has learnt of the passing of Grete Waitz.

The Norwegian runner, who won nine New York City Marathons and a silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, died on Tuesday after a long battle with cancer. She was 57.

European Athletics President Hansjörg Wirz said, "Today we have been deeply saddened by the news that one of the all-time great runners has passed away. Grete was a fantastic athlete, a role model for a generation of female athletes, and the entire sport will mourn her passing."

Norwegian Athletics Federation president Svein Arne Hansen said, "I will remember Grete as one of the greatest athletes of all time, as a shining light for women in sports and as someone who with great courage fought against adversity in the last six years through her battle with cancer."

Few female runners have as complete a resume as Waitz. She competed in all the running disciplines, from track and cross-country to road racing and marathoning – and she excelled in each of them.

Waitz was named as the best female cross country runner in the history of the sport by the IAAF in 2003.

Prominent among the numerous honours that Grete received in a career spanning 17 years are the silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and a gold at the World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki in 1983.

Waitz won her first New York City Marathon in 1978, setting a world best in 2 hours, 32 minutes, 30 seconds, with her last victory in New York coming 10 years later.

Waitz influenced a generation of female athletes and remained a pillar of strength for all aspiring athletes. Her deeds over four decades went a long way in engendering self-esteem and self-confidence among women in sport and in general as well.

After retiring from competitive athletics Waitz was active in the running community in various roles from coach to administrator. She promoted sport among women, school children and the physically and mentally challenged with unremitting zeal.

She was the founder of the Grete Waitz Run in Oslo, an annual participatory event for women, with as many as 45,000 girls and women taking part. The run became the symbol of participatory sports for girls and women and enhanced regular training groups of female recreational runners all over Norway.

Waitz also developed training programmes for people from all age groups, gender and walk of life. She penned several books including World Class, On the Run-Exercise and Fitness for Busy People, and Run your own Marathon.

She also worked with training programmes for cancer prevention in the Norwegian workforce, based on research showing a correlation between inactive women and various types of cancer.

In 2008, she was accorded with one of Norway's highest civilian honours, the Knight 1st Class of the Royal Norwegian St. Olavs Order.

It has been reported that a private funeral ceremony is planned for next week, according to Waitz's wishes.

Waitz is survived by her husband Jack Waitz and her two brothers, Jan and Arild.

European Athletics (EAA) – News