19. Maine: Joan Benoit Samuelson (Cape Elizabeth)
Raised in Cape Elizabeth, she took up running to recover from a broken leg suffered while skiing. Benoit Samuelson became a pioneer in women’s distance running, winning the Boston Marathon twice (setting a world record in 1983). Her crowning achievement came at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, where she won the gold medal in the first-ever women’s Olympic marathon, breaking the tape and proving women could excel in extreme endurance events.