At the point on the historic course where Jock Semple grabbed a hold of her, she live streamed on Facebook, recalling that day: Yesterday morning, wearing the very same number which was almost ripped off her five decades earlier, the now 70-year-old Switzer completed the Boston Marathon for a ninth time.

If that girl were my daughter, I would spank her.” We have no space in the marathon for any unauthorised person, even a man. I don’t make the rules, but I try to carry them out. “Unless we have rules, society will be in chaos. “Women can’t run in the marathon because the rules forbid it,” he said. Shortly after the marathon, Boston Athletic Association director Will Cloney was asked to offer his opinion on a female runner registering and completing the historically male race. Switzer went on to finish the race at a time of 4h20m, a full hour behind Bobbi Gibb, the female winner on the day, but who ran without registering. A few miles into the race, Semple broke onto the course and tried to rip her number off, shouting: “Get the hell out of my race and give me those numbers!” In the ensuing fracas, Miller, a 106kg former football player and hammer thrower, pushed the race official out of the way, sending him flying into the footpath.

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