Courtesy: Running USA

Joan Samuelson, winner of the first women's Olympic Marathon in 1984 and holder of the four fastest U.S. women's marathon times, has entered the 32nd running of the New York City Marathon(R) on Sunday, November 4th, it was announced by Race Director Allan Steinfeld, President and CEO of the New York Road Runners.

The 2001 NYC Marathon will offer a total guaranteed prize purse of $514,000 and an event record first-place prize of $80,000 to the men's and women's champions.

Samuelson, 44, then known as Joan Benoit, won the Olympic Marathon in Los Angeles in 2:24:52. She placed first at the Olympic Trials in both the marathon (2:31:04) and 10,000 meters (32:07.41). Her Marathon Trials victory came 17 days after arthroscopic knee surgery. Her Olympic victory led to her winning the Sullivan Award in 1985.

She has set the American record in the marathon five times, and holds the current mark at 2:21:21 (Chicago, 1985). That time makes her the fifth fastest woman all-time in the marathon. Her 2:22:43 in Boston in 1983 was the world record for two years. Samuelson still holds the American record at 25K (1:24:43, set in 1986) and the half-marathon mark (1:08:34, set in 1984).

A resident of Freeport, Maine and graduate of Bowdoin College, her first big win came in Boston in 1979 (2:35:15), followed by Auckland, New Zealand in 1980 (2:31:23). In 1981, she was victorious at 10,000 meters at the USA Championships (33:37.5) on the track.

Samuelson made her New York City Marathon debut in 1988, finishing third (2:32:40). In 1989, she finished ninth in Boston (2:37:52) and in 1991 finished fourth in Boston (2:26:54) and sixth in New York (2:33:40). She was victorious in Columbus, Ohio, in 1992 (2:32:20).

Samuelson placed sixth in Boston in 1993 (2:35:43), sixth in Chicago in 1994 (2:37:09) and 13th at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 1996 (2:36:54). In her last New York City Marathon appearance, she finished 12th in 1998 (2:41:06).

Last year, Samuelson was ninth at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (2:39:59).

This year, Samuelson finished 24th at the USA 5K Championships at the Freihofer's Run for Women (Albany, NY, 17:24); fifth in the Bellin Run 10K (Green Bay, WI, 35:40) and 15th at the Bix 7 Mile (40:55).

Samuelson and her husband Scott have two children, Abigail (14) and Anders (11).