Georgette Lenoir (fl. 1922–1928) was a French

track and field athlete Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...

and a world record holder in the 800 meters and 1000 meters and silver medalist at the first Women's Olympics in 1922 in Paris, and she was a pioneer in women's sports.

Biography

Georgette Lenoir was born in central France. In her youth, she was an active athlete and later joined the women's sports association " Fémina Sport" (founded in 1912) in Paris. She competed for the club throughout her active sporting career and specialized in middle-distance running. She held several world championship titles at various running distances and also competed in the high jump. She participated in the 1922 Women's Games in

Monte Carlo Monte Carlo ( ; ; or colloquially ; , ; ) is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the Ward (country subdivision), ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to ...

, Monaco, where she competed in running 250 meters, high jump, pentathlon (then running 60 meters, 300 meters, javelin throw, high jump and shot put) but without reaching a medal place. On 6 August of the same year, she set a world record in running 1000 meters at competitions in Paris, this also became the first official world record in this category. On 25 June 1922, she also set a world record in the 4 x 250 meters relay (with Andrée Darreau, Simone Chapoteau, Georgette Lenoir as third runner and Cécile Maugars) with a time of 2:33.4 min at a competition in

Colombes Colombes () is a Communes of France, commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France, from the Kilometre zero, centre of Paris. In 2019, Colombes was the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, 53rd largest city in France. ...

, France. On 20 August 1922, at the "Women's Olympics," established by

Alice Milliat Alice Joséphine Marie Milliat née Million (5 May 1884 – 19 May 1957) was a pioneer of women's sport. Her lobbying on behalf of female athletes led to the accelerated inclusion of more women's events in the Olympic Games. A member of Fémi ...

who was a leader in the women’s sports movement in France, Lenoir also set a world record in running 800 meters, becoming the first official world record in this category. She narrowly lost a gold medal running 1000 meters in 3:12.2, but finishing just after Lucie Bréard's time of 3:12.0. Lenoir then participated in the 1923 Women's Olympics in Monte Carlo, where she set a French record (and unofficial world record) during the 500 meters and 1000 meters, but without receiving a medal. Later that year, she participated in her first French Championships ( Championnats de France d'Athlétisme) on 15 July in

Bourges Bourges ( ; ; ''Borges'' in Berrichon) is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre (Cher), Yèvre. It is the capital of the Departments of France, department of Cher (department), Cher, and also was the capital city of the former provin ...

where she ran in the 1000 meters but didn't finish that race. At the French Championships in 1924, she won the silver medal in the 1000-meter run at events held on 14 July at the Pershing Stadium in Paris.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lenoir, Georgette French female sprinters French pentathletes World record holders in athletics (track and field) French female middle-distance runners French female high jumpers 20th-century French sportswomen