Boston Marathon Course Cutter, Rosie Ruiz Dies At 66

Infamous Boston Marathon course-cutter, Rosie Ruiz, who was stripped of her victory in the 1980 race after she was found cheating during the race, has died. She was 66.

Her family announced her death in an obituary revealing Ruiz died in Florida of cancer on July 8. She had been battling cancer for 10 years. The obituary was under the name Rosie Vivas, the name she took after the infamous Boston incident.

In early 1980, Ruiz became the first woman to finish line at the prestigious Boston Marathon in a record time 2:31:56. Ruiz had just finished the New York Marathon before she ran in Boston.

As per the sources, the New York Marathon official disqualified her win after they determined that she rode the subway for 16 miles in the course after she suffered the injured ankle.

Shortly after she was stripped of her New York title, the Boston Marathon Officials followed suit and disqualified her finish. They took action after determining Ruiz had run only the final half-mile of the 26.2-mile course.