Adrienne Beames (7 September 1942, Victoria, Australia – 27 December 2018[1]) was an Australian long-distance runner frequently credited as the first woman to break the 3-hour barrier in the marathon.[2] [3]
In the early 1970s, women's marathoning was met with deep hostility;[4] [5] the 1500 metres was the longest track event officially recognised for women.[6] When Beames' attempts to officially enter a marathon were thwarted, she and her coach, Fred Warwick, organised 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.
On 31 August 1971, Warwick claimed that Beames had run a 2:46:30 in Werribee, Victoria, Australia, shattering the previous women's world best of 3:01:42 set three months earlier by American Beth Bonner at the AAU Eastern Regional Championships in Philadelphia.[7] 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.[8] John Craven, a sports writer reporting on the story at the time, questioned whether the course was the required distance.[9]
Dismissed by the press as a "time trial", Beames performance was not officially verified or recognised.[10] [11] The International Association of Athletics Federations, the international governing body for the sport of athletics, does not recognise the mark in their progression for the marathon world best.[12]
During January 1972, her coach, Fred Warwick, announced a series of private time trials that she had completed, claiming several world records: 15:48.6 for 5,000m, 4:28.8 for the mile, 4:09.6 for 1,500m, and 34:08 for 10,000m. None of these had independent observers, and have been treated with suspicion.
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.[3] In the 1970s, she moved to the United States where she studied, worked, and competed on the American road racing circuit.[3] [6] By 1973, Beames held women's world bests in the 5000 and 10000 as well as the marathon.[13] Beames posted an official 2:46:32 at a marathon in Scottsdale, Arizona on 10 December 1977; however, she was disqualified for course cutting.[14] She won the inaugural Asics Half Marathon with a 1:22:15 on 23 July 1983.[15] [16]
Beames was the daughter of Australian rules footballer, first-class cricketer, and journalist Percy Beames.[6] She excelled in tennis and squash before taking up running.[6] In 1990, she earned a graduate diploma in sports science.[6]
