Gayle Olinekova (original) (raw)

Gayle Olinekova (birth name Olinek; March 3, 1953 – November 26, 2003) was a marathon runner and bodybuilder from Canada. Olinekova, whom Sports Illustrated nicknamed the "Greatest Legs To Ever Stride The Earth," challenged the perception of femininity and athleticism during a time period when Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on gender in school athletics, was first going into effect. Olinekova encouraged fellow female athletes to embrace a muscular physique by publicly declaring that strength is beauty.