Grete Waitz, one of the finest female marathon runners of all time, has died of cancer at the age of 57.
Marathon great loses long battle against cancer
Grete Waitz, one of the finest female marathon runners of all time, has died of cancer at the age of 57.
The Norwegian, who had been battling the disease for six years, won the New York marathon nine times, breaking the world record in three successive years.
She also won the London event in 1983 and 1986, taking the latter in a personal best time of two hours 24 minutes and 54 seconds.
Waitz won the gold medal at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki in 1983 before taking silver behind Joan Benoit at the Los Angeles Olympics a year later.
"Grete is in my eyes one of the greatest Norwegian athletes of all time," Norwegian Athletics Federation president Svein Arne Hansen said.
"Not only through her performances in the sport, but also as a role model for women in sports."
Following her retirement she coached British distance runner Liz McColgan and became involved in charity work.
There is a statue of her outside the famous Bislett Stadium in Oslo in memory of her achievements.
International Association of Athletics Federations president Lamine Diack paid tribute to Waitz.
A statement read: "One of the brightest flames of the modern athletics era has been extinguished but the heroic deeds of Grete Waitz will live on eternally.
"The dedication, perseverance and fortitude with which Grete carved out her athletics career on the track, across the country and on the road is an example to us all, as is the positive way she tackled the illness that beset her life in recent years.
"On behalf of the international athletics family I wish to express our heartfelt sorrow at the passing of such a great champion, and offer our sincerest sympathies and condolences to her family and friends."
