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Mary Rand RIP

clive
clive Posts: 20,296
in Other Football and Sports

Mary Rand, the first British woman to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics, has died at the age of 86.

Rand secured the long jump title at the Tokyo Games in 1964, also winning silver in the inaugural women's pentathlon and bronze in the 4x100m relay.

That meant she also became the first British woman to win gold, silver and bronze at a single Olympic Games.

Rand was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1964 and was awarded an MBE in the 1965 New Year Honours List.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/ce3dn6n2vk4o

Comments

  • jose
    jose Posts: 1,211
    RIP
    Great and classy athlete.
  • LenGlover
    LenGlover Posts: 31,884
    RIP Mary. You were a great athlete and I have fond memories of your Olympic journey on TV from Tokyo 1964.
  • Addick Addict
    Addick Addict Posts: 41,670
    RIP Mary
  • Raith_C_Chattonell
    Raith_C_Chattonell Posts: 5,915
    RIP Mary.
  • Algarveaddick
    Algarveaddick Posts: 21,567
    RIP Mary.
  • Covered End
    Covered End Posts: 52,719
    I remember the name. RIP.
  • soapy_jones
    soapy_jones Posts: 21,641
    RIP
  • Dartaddick
    Dartaddick Posts: 128
    RIP Mary
  • lolwray
    lolwray Posts: 5,008
    RIP 

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  • AddicksAddict
    AddicksAddict Posts: 16,255
    My memory of the Olympics starts from Ann Packer and the 800m in Mexico in ‘68. She was one of Mary’s roommates in Tokyo. I only know Mary from reading about her but she sounds quite remarkable. For example, she won a set of golden darts by hitting the bull with one dart, and she lost out on gold in the pentathlon at Tokyo to an athlete who stopped competing when mandatory gender testing came in.

    RIP to someone this country can be proud of. 
  • ShootersHillGuru
    ShootersHillGuru Posts: 51,015
    RIP. Golden girl in her day.
  • SoundAsa£
    SoundAsa£ Posts: 22,795
    Huge star back in the day…..a significant household sports personality.
    I remember her well.
    RIP….Mary….RIP.
  • philcafc
    philcafc Posts: 4,084
    RIP Mary
  • Rob
    Rob Posts: 12,421
    RIP Mary. A real legend from the past. I remember her winning gold in 1964. What a performer!
  • FremlinsFellow
    FremlinsFellow Posts: 80
    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/mar/29/mary-rand-obituary

    Before my time and I was unaware quite how much of a sporting superstar she was. 
  • LoOkOuT
    LoOkOuT Posts: 11,035
    RIP Mary
  • Raith_C_Chattonell
    Raith_C_Chattonell Posts: 5,915
    FremlinsFellow said:
    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/mar/29/mary-rand-obituary

    Before my time and I was unaware quite how much of a sporting superstar she was. 
    All British gold medallist athletes were revered at the time as there were so few of them - primarily due to the true spirit of their amateur status. 

    Americans were massively advantaged by the free education within their college system, given out to aspiring sports men and women, whilst East European athletes were routinely known to be on drugs programs. 

    Things have evened up now due to lottery funding and better testing of course.   
  • charente addick
    charente addick Posts: 3,930
    RIP Mary. It reminds me that there was a teacher in my Primary School named Pat Kippax who competed in Tokyo ‘64 running in the 400m. 

    I might have been more focused on getting a Johnny Seven at the time but I don’t remember any ceremony at all from the school around her fantastic achievement.
  • Addictedoldgit
    Addictedoldgit Posts: 1,882
    I remember Mary - the golden girl.
    She was so popular when she returned to England but remained humble.
    I still remember I was in lust with my her for a couple of years.

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