Summary
Mary Rand, a British Olympic champion in athletics, has passed away at 86. She made history in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics by becoming the first British woman to win gold, silver, and bronze medals in a single Olympic Games.
Key Facts
- Mary Rand won a gold medal in the long jump at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
- She also earned a silver medal in the women's pentathlon and a bronze in the 4x100m relay during the same Olympics.
- Rand broke the British and Olympic records with her long jump of 6.59 meters and later broke the world record with a jump of 6.76 meters.
- She won another gold in the long jump at the 1966 Commonwealth Games.
- Rand retired from athletics in 1968 due to injury, at the age of 28.
- Throughout her career, she won 12 national titles in various events like long jump, high jump, sprint hurdles, and pentathlon.
- Mary Rand was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1964 and received an MBE in 1965.
- She was born in Wells, Somerset, and achieved her first British record in pentathlon at age 17.
