The International Olympic Committee required the participation of a minimum of 25 countries in international competition in order to accept new events to the Olympic schedule, thus Avon focused on attracting runners from many nations. The series was successful in its aim of establishing the marathon as a women's discipline, led by the International Runners' Committee, with the inaugural women's marathons at the 1982 European Championships and 1983 World Championship preceding the first women's Olympic marathon in 1984. The 1983 Avon International Marathon took place in Los Angeles, where the Olympic marathon race was hosted the following year.