20 Facts About Grete Waitz

Grete Waitz was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder.

Grete Waitz won the silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and a gold medal at the 1983 World Championships in Helsinki.

Grete Waitz was a five-time winner of the World Cross Country Championships.

Grete Waitz won 12 World Marathon Majors, the most for any runner, earning her a place in the Guinness World Records.

In 1975, Grete Waitz broke the 3000 metres world record, running 8:46.6 in Oslo.

Grete Waitz ran the 1500 m at the European Championships in Prague on 3 September 1978.

Grete Waitz further improved her NYC record with her following victories in 1979 and 1980.

Grete Waitz went on to win the race nine times and broke the course record three years in a row.

Grete Waitz's winning time in the 1980 edition was 2:25:41, Patti Lyons-Catalano placed second with 2:29:33.

Besides her marathon victories in New York and at the 1983 World Championships in Helsinki, Grete Waitz won the London Marathon in 1983 and 1986, as well as the Stockholm Marathon in 1988 at 2:28:24.

Grete Waitz' last race was a victory at 5000 metres in Oslo in June 1982, in which her 15:08.80 was the second best in history, falling only a half second short of the world record set three weeks earlier by Mary Slaney.

The only significant award Grete Waitz did not win in her career was an Olympic victory.

Grete Waitz completed her last marathon on 1 November 1992 with her friend Fred Lebow.

Grete Waitz did charity work, particularly for the CARE International and the International Special Olympics.

For more than 25 years, Grete Waitz served as the ambassador for the worldwide JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge Series, promoting health and wellness to full-time workers.

Grete Waitz was first diagnosed in 2005, but the specific type of cancer was never disclosed to the public.

Grete Waitz is widely acknowledged as helping to promote marathon and long-distance running for women.

In November 2008, Grete Waitz was appointed a Knight 1st Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav, bestowed by King Harald V of Norway at a ceremony in Oslo.

Grete Waitz was only the third sportsperson ever to receive this award.

Grete Waitz received the St Olav's Medal in 1981 and Medal of St Hallvard in 1989.