Sporting Witness

Women's Marathon Agony


Listen Later

In 1984, the women's marathon was held in the Olympic Games for the first time.

But to the horror of the crowd in Los Angeles, one of the runners, Gabriela Andersen-Scheiss of Switzerland, entered the stadium in a state of virtual collapse from heat exhaustion.

The 40-year-old ski instructor was not used to the hot Californian climate. She had to hobble her way around the final lap of the race.

The crowd of ninety thousand people in the LA Memorial Colosseum cheered her on as she made it to the finish line.

Andersen-Scheiss tells Ashley Byrne about her ordeal. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production that first aired in 2016.

(Photo: Andersen-Scheiss finishing the race in 1984. Credit: John W. McDonough/ Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Sporting WitnessBy BBC World Service

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

18 ratings


More shows like Sporting Witness

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,913 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

376 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

863 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,067 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,576 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,808 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

977 Listeners

The History Hour by BBC World Service

The History Hour

586 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,729 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,018 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,113 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,952 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

488 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

580 Listeners

Profile by BBC Radio 4

Profile

113 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

49 Listeners

F1: Chequered Flag by BBC Radio 5 Live

F1: Chequered Flag

790 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

746 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

841 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,245 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

779 Listeners

Cyber Hack by BBC World Service

Cyber Hack

1,600 Listeners

Good Bad Billionaire by BBC World Service

Good Bad Billionaire

270 Listeners

The Explanation by BBC World Service

The Explanation

30 Listeners