Betty Cuthbert

Betty Cuthbert
Betty Cuthbert c. 1950s
Personal information
Birth nameElizabeth Alyse Cuthbert
NationalityAustralian
Born(1938-04-20)20 April 1938
Merrylands, New South Wales, Australia
Died6 August 2017(2017-08-06) (aged 79)
Mandurah, Western Australia, Australia
Height5 ft 6+12 in (169 cm)
Weight126 lb (57 kg)
Sport
CountryAustralia
SportAthletics
Event(s)100 metres
200 metres
400 metres
Coached byJune Ferguson
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Australia
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 4
British Empire and Commonwealth Games 1 2
Total 5 2 0
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1956 Melbourne 100 metres
Gold medal – first place 1956 Melbourne 200 metres
Gold medal – first place 1956 Melbourne 4×100 m relay
Gold medal – first place 1964 Tokyo 400 metres
British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 1962 Perth 4×110 yards relay
Silver medal – second place 1958 Cardiff 220 yards
Silver medal – second place 1958 Cardiff 4×110 yards relay

Elizabeth Alyse Cuthbert AC, MBE (20 April 1938 – 6 August 2017), was an Australian athlete and a four-time Olympic champion.[1] She was nicknamed Australia's "Golden Girl".[2] During her career, she set world records for 60 metres, 100 yards, 200 metres, 220 yards and 440 yards. Cuthbert also contributed to Australian relay teams completing a win in the 4 × 100 metres, 4 × 110 yards, 4 × 200 metres and 4 × 220 yards. Cuthbert had a distinctive running style, with a high knee lift and mouth wide open.[3] She was named in 1998 an Australian National Treasure and was inducted as a Legend in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Athletics Australia Hall of Fame in 2000.[4]

  1. ^ "Betty Cuthbert". Sports Reference website. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  2. ^ Goldstein, Richard (6 August 2017). "Betty Cuthbert, Australia's 'Golden Girl' of Track and Field, Dies at 79". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  3. ^ Gordon, Harry (2000). "Betty Cuthbert AM MBE". Athletics Australia Hall of Fame. Athletics Australia. Archived from the original on 16 October 2009. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Betty Cuthbert". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 24 September 2020.