# Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics – Women's marathon

The Women's Marathon at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California (United States) was held on August 5, 1984. It was the first time a women's marathon had been held at the Olympic Games. The 50 competitors came from 28 countries. 44 finished the race. The world record holder Joan Benoit of the United States won the gold medal by 1m 26, with the silver medal going to the 1983 World champion Grete Waitz of Norway, and bronze to Rosa Mota of Portugal.
Strategically, the race was notable for Benoit making a bold move in only the third mile of the race, despite the August heat. The rest of the field did not try to keep pace with her, and Benoit maintained her lead all the way to finish, defeating Waitz by more than a minute.
The race was also notable for Gabriela Andersen-Schiess from Switzerland, who entered the stadium for the final lap in a state of almost total exhaustion, barely able to walk but eventually completing the race, collapsing at the finishing line and being immediately treated by medical personnel. She finished 37th.

## Medalists

| Gold | Joan Benoit United States |
| Silver | Grete Waitz Norway |
| Bronze | Rosa Mota Portugal |

## Abbreviations

* All times shown are in hours:minutes:seconds
| DNS | did not start |
| NM | no mark |
| OR | olympic record |
| WR | world record |
| AR | area record |
| NR | national record |
| PB | personal best |
| SB | season best |

## Records

Standing records prior to the 1984 Summer Olympics :
| World Record | Joan Benoit (USA) | 2:22:43 | April 18, 1983 | Boston, United States |
| Olympic Record | New Event | New Event | New Event | New Event |
| Season Best | Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) | 2:24:26 | May 13, 1984 | London, United Kingdom |
| Broken records during the 1984 Summer Olympics |||||
| Olympic Record | Joan Benoit (USA) | 2:24:52 | August 5, 1984 | Los Angeles, United States |

## Final ranking

| Place | Athlete | Time |
| | Joan Benoit (USA) | 2:24:52 |
| | Grete Waitz (NOR) | 2:26:18 |
| | Rosa Mota (POR) | 2:26:57 |
| 4 | Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) | 2:27:34 |
| 5 | Lorraine Moller (NZL) | 2:28:34 |
| 6 | Priscilla Welch (GBR) | 2:28:54 |
| 7 | Lisa Martin (AUS) | 2:29:03 |
| 8 | Silvia Ruegger (CAN) | 2:29:09 |
| 9 | Laura Fogli (ITA) | 2:29:28 |
| 10 | Tuija Toivonen (FIN) | 2:32:07 |
| 11 | Joyce Smith (GBR) | 2:32:48 |
| 12 | Alba Milana (ITA) | 2:33:01 |
| 13 | Dorthe Rasmussen (DEN) | 2:33:40 |
| 14 | Sarah Rowell (GBR) | 2:34:08 |
| 15 | Sinikka Keskitalo (FIN) | 2:35:15 |
| 16 | Charlotte Teske (FRG) | 2:35:56 |
| 17 | Anne Marie Malone (CAN) | 2:36:33 |
| 18 | Midde Hamrin (SWE) | 2:36:41 |
| 19 | Nanae Sasaki (JPN) | 2:37:04 |
| 20 | Paola Moro (ITA) | 2:37:06 |
| 21 | Ria Van Landeghem (BEL) | 2:37:11 |
| 22 | Carla Beurskens (NED) | 2:37:51 |
| 23 | Regina Joyce (IRL) | 2:37:57 |
| 24 | Marie-Christine Deurbroeck (BEL) | 2:38:01 |
| 25 | Maria Trujillo (MEX) | 2:38:50 |
| 26 | Bente Moe (NOR) | 2:40:52 |
| 27 | Mary O'Connor (NZL) | 2:41:22 |
| 28 | Carey May (IRL) | 2:41:27 |
| 29 | Francine Peeters (BEL) | 2:42:22 |
| 30 | Zehava Shmueli (ISR) | 2:42:27 |
| 31 | Winnie Ng (HKG) | 2:42:38 |
| 32 | Monica Regonesi (CHI) | 2:44:44 |
| 33 | Naydi Nazario (PUR) | 2:45:49 |
| 34 | Yuko Gordon (HKG) | 2:46:12 |
| 35 | Ena Guevara (PER) | 2:46:50 |
| 36 | Julie Brown (USA) | 2:47:33 |
| 37 | Gabriela Andersen-Schiess (SUI) | 2:48:42 |
| 38 | Rita Borralho (POR) | 2:50:58 |
| 39 | Conceição Ferreira (POR) | 2:50:58 |
| 40 | Maria Cardenas (MEX) | 2:51:03 |
| 41 | María Luisa Ronquillo (MEX) | 2:51:04 |
| 42 | Nelly Chávez (BOL) | 2:51:35 |
| 43 | Mary Wagaki (KEN) | 2:52:00 |
| 44 | Eleonora de Mendonça (BRA) | 2:52:19 |
| — | Ifeoma Mbanugo (NGR) | DNF |
| — | Akemi Masuda (JPN) | DNF |
| — | Jacqueline Gareau (CAN) | DNF |
| — | Julie Isphording (USA) | DNF |
| — | Anne Audain (NZL) | DNF |
| — | Leda Díaz (HON) | DNF |