Gayle Olinekova
Encyclopedia
Gayle Olinekova was a marathon
runner and bodybuilder
from Canada
.
Olinekova grew up in Toronto
, attending Alderwood High School
and Ryerson Polytechnic Institute
. She was the Canadian 400-meter champion in 1969 with a time of 55.5 seconds, and was a 400-meter and 800-meter runner on the Canadian national team in 1972. She later turned to distance running and became a world-class marathoner. Olinekova won the 1979 New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon with a time of 2:35:12, then the third-fastest time ever for a female runner. She set the Canadian women's marathon record four times between 1977 and 1979. She also posted a time of 2:36:12 in the Fiesta Bowl
Marathon in Scottsdale, Arizona
on December 1, 1979.
Olinekova moved to Westlake Village, California
to train for the first women’s Olympic marathon in 1984. However, she was seriously injured in a car accident
; not only did she miss out on the Olympics, but her running career was ended as well.
Olinekova only competed once as a bodybuilder, in the Frank Zane
Invitational on June 28, 1980. However, she had a significant impact on the sport due to her amazing quadriceps and calf development. (Wennerstrom, 2004) Her amazing legs earned her national coverage in 1981, when she was the subject of a feature article in Sports Illustrated
called "Greatest Legs To Ever Stride The Earth". (Levin, 1981)
Later in 1981, Olinekova appeared on the cover of the magazine New West, photographed by art photographer Helmut Newton
. The photograph was one of several by Newton that ran under the heading "Strong Women: A Portfolio of California's Super Athletes".
, and rough-water rowing. She published several books on exercise and healthy lifestyles:
Olinekova died at Duarte, California
at age 50 on November 26, 2003 after a long battle with breast cancer
. At the time of her death, she had been working as a chiropractor
in Westlake Village.
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
runner and bodybuilder
Female bodybuilding
Female bodybuilding is the female component of competitive bodybuilding. It began in the late 1970s when women began to take part in bodybuilding competitions.-Beginnings:...
from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Olinekova grew up in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, attending Alderwood High School
Alderwood, Toronto
Alderwood is a neighbourhood in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is in the western section of Toronto, formerly the city of Etobicoke. It is bounded by the Etobicoke Creek to the west, the Gardiner Expressway to the north, the CPR railway to the east and the CNR railway to the...
and Ryerson Polytechnic Institute
Ryerson University
Ryerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its urban campus is adjacent to Yonge-Dundas Square located at the busiest intersection in Downtown Toronto. The majority of its buildings are in the blocks northeast of the square in Toronto's Garden...
. She was the Canadian 400-meter champion in 1969 with a time of 55.5 seconds, and was a 400-meter and 800-meter runner on the Canadian national team in 1972. She later turned to distance running and became a world-class marathoner. Olinekova won the 1979 New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon with a time of 2:35:12, then the third-fastest time ever for a female runner. She set the Canadian women's marathon record four times between 1977 and 1979. She also posted a time of 2:36:12 in the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
Marathon in Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
on December 1, 1979.
Olinekova moved to Westlake Village, California
Westlake Village, California
Westlake Village is a planned community that straddles the Los Angeles and Ventura county line. The eastern portion is the incorporated city Westlake Village, located on the western edge of Los Angeles County, California. The city, located in the region known as the Conejo Valley, encompasses half...
to train for the first women’s Olympic marathon in 1984. However, she was seriously injured in a car accident
Car accident
A traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...
; not only did she miss out on the Olympics, but her running career was ended as well.
Olinekova only competed once as a bodybuilder, in the Frank Zane
Frank Zane
Frank Zane is an American former professional bodybuilder and teacher.- Education :Zane received a B.Sc in Education from Wilkes University in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania in 1964. For 13 years, he taught mathematics and chemistry while living in Florida and California. Later he earned a B.A...
Invitational on June 28, 1980. However, she had a significant impact on the sport due to her amazing quadriceps and calf development. (Wennerstrom, 2004) Her amazing legs earned her national coverage in 1981, when she was the subject of a feature article in Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
called "Greatest Legs To Ever Stride The Earth". (Levin, 1981)
Later in 1981, Olinekova appeared on the cover of the magazine New West, photographed by art photographer Helmut Newton
Helmut Newton
Helmut Newton, born Helmut Neustädter was a German-Australian photographer. He was a "prolific, widely imitated fashion photographer whose provocative, erotically charged black-and-white photos were a mainstay of Vogue and other publications."-Early life:Newton was born in Berlin, the son of Klara...
. The photograph was one of several by Newton that ran under the heading "Strong Women: A Portfolio of California's Super Athletes".
Further reading
Olinekova participated in a number of other sports, including speedskating, cyclingCycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, and rough-water rowing. She published several books on exercise and healthy lifestyles:
- Go For It! (1982), Simon & SchusterSimon & SchusterSimon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
. ISBN 0-671-45692-X. - Legs: Super Legs in Six Weeks (1983), Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-671-47241-0.
- The Sensuality of Strength (1984), Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-671-49187-3.
- Winning Without Steroids (1988), Keats Publishing. ISBN 0-87983-480-3.
- Power Aging: Staying Young At Any Age (1998), Thunder's Mouth PR. ISBN 1-56025-123-9.
Olinekova died at Duarte, California
Duarte, California
Duarte is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 21,321, down from 21,486 at the 2000 census....
at age 50 on November 26, 2003 after a long battle with breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
. At the time of her death, she had been working as a chiropractor
Chiropractor
A Chiropractor, according to the Association of Chiropractic Colleges , "focuses on the relationship between the body's main structures – the skeleton, the muscles and the nerves – and the patient's health. Chiropractors believe that health can be improved and preserved by making adjustments to...
in Westlake Village.