BOSTON – Nina Kussik, a trailblazer for women in long-distance running, has passed away at the age of 86

Kussik, who championed the inclusion of women in marathons, notably won the Boston Marathon in the inaugural year they were officially allowed to compete. According to her obituary from Al Jacobsen Funeral Home in Huntington Station, New York, she died from respiratory failure on June 8 following a prolonged struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

The Boston Athletic Association expressed their condolences on Instagram, stating, “Nina is more than a pioneer; she advocated for women in running and was an icon in the sport. For us, she was a friend who will always be remembered with kindness, laughter, and smiles.”

Kussik made history by winning the Boston Marathon in 1972, using that victory to inspire countless women to pursue their own goals in sports. Her obituary noted that she graduated high school at 16, spent two years studying nursing, and was licensed by 18 after successfully petitioning to amend New York’s law requiring nurses to be at least 21.

She ran four Boston Marathons between 1968 and 1971, establishing herself as a pioneer before women were formally welcomed into the sport. Her historic win marked the first official women’s race that year.

In addition, Kussik was the first woman to participate in a New York race in 1970. She was part of a group of six women who delayed the start of the 1972 New York City Marathon for 10 minutes to protest Amateur Athletic Union rules, which forced women’s events to be separate from men’s. She claimed victory that year and in the next.

Following her competitive career, Kussik played a key role in shaping regulations for women’s running through her involvement with the AAU and USA Athletics Committees. Kathryn Switzer, who famously entered the 1971 Boston Marathon using her initials and became the first woman to compete officially, referred to Kussik as “one of our biggest leaders.”

Switzer remarked, “Nina is not only a champion runner; she changed the rules and provided medical evidence to affirm women’s capabilities.” She recalled, “Eight of us registered, and all eight finished. It was an incredible moment on a fiercely hot day, but Nina rightfully won.”

In addition to completing over 80 marathons, Kussik set an American record for a 50-mile run in 1977 and won the Empire State Building race three years in a row from 1979 to 1981. She was inducted into the Long Distance Running Hall of Fame in 1999.