Mary Rand, the primary British lady to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics, has died on the age of 86.
Rand secured the lengthy soar title on the Tokyo Video games in 1964, additionally profitable silver within the inaugural girls’s pentathlon and bronze within the 4x100m relay.
That meant she additionally turned the primary British lady to win gold, silver and bronze at a single Olympic Video games.
Within the lengthy soar, Rand broke the British and Olympic information together with her first leap of 6.59m after which smashed the world file on her fifth try with an effort of 6.76m.
“Mary was essentially the most gifted athlete I ever noticed,” stated Ann Packer, who gained 800m gold on the 1964 Olympics days after Rand’s triumph and was her room-mate in Tokyo.
“She was pretty much as good as athletes get. There has by no means been something like her since – and I do not consider there ever will.”
Rand, whose first husband was British rower Sydney Rand, additionally gained lengthy soar gold on the 1966 Commonwealth Video games in Jamaica.
Nonetheless, damage denied her the prospect to defend her Olympic title in 1968 and she or he retired on the age of 28 the identical 12 months.
Born in Wells, Somerset, she was solely 17 when she set her first British file within the pentathlon, and she or he gained 12 nationwide titles throughout lengthy soar, excessive soar, dash hurdles and pentathlon throughout her illustrious profession.
Rand was voted the BBC Sports activities Character of the 12 months in 1964 and was awarded an MBE within the 1965 New 12 months Honours Listing.
