Sporting Witness

In 1980, Rosie Ruiz was crowned the female winner of the Boston Marathon.But the Cuban runner was not known in marathon circles and her victory instantly raised eyebrows.Men's champion Bill Rodgers was there when Rosie was crowned at the finish line with laurel leaves."I became suspicious of Rosie pretty quickly," he said. "A really fit, strong, marathoner, woman is pretty tough. Rosie was not that fit looking. It's just as simple as that."Bill tells Vicky Farncombe about the subsequent investigation and how Rosie's story, in an odd way, changed marathons for the better.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortali