Betty Cuthbert

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Betty Cuthbert
AC MBE
Betty Cuthbert c. 1950s
Personal information
Birth nameElizabeth Alyse Cuthbert
NationalityAustralian
Born(1938-04-20)20 April 1938
Ermington, New South Wales, Australia
Died6 August 2017(2017-08-06) (aged 79)
Mandurah, Western Australia, Australia
Height5 ft 6+1⁄2 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]

Early life[edit]

Cuthbert was born to Leslie and Marion alongside her nonidentical[5] twin sister, Marie 'Midge'. She also had another sister, Jean and a brother, John.[6][7][8][9] Cuthbert was born 20 minutes before Marie.[10] According to Midge, the twins were not alike, but very special to each other.[5] The daughter of nursery owners, Cuthbert was born in Merrylands, New South Wales, and grew up in the Sydney suburb of Ermington, where she attended Ermington Public School.[11] Of her upbringing, Cuthbert stated "My parents always encouraged me and I had a good home life. We were always taught to respect things and other people."[12]

Marion attended church and sent her four children to Sunday school.[13] As a teenager, Cuthbert attended Parramatta Home Science School. She left school at the age of 16 to work in the family nursery.[7]

Athletic career[edit]

Betty Cuthbert, 100m final, 1956 Olympics

Cuthbert was a member of the Western Suburbs Athletic Club.[1] At the age of 18, with the 1956 Summer Olympics to be held in Melbourne, Cuthbert set a World Record in the 200 metres, making her one of the favourites for a gold in that event. Cuthbert first reached the finals of the 100 metres, setting an Olympic record of 11.4 seconds in her heat (also her personal best), while the Australian world record holder Shirley Strickland was eliminated.

Cuthbert won the final and was then the big favourite for the 200 metres title. She lived up to the expectations and became the Australian "Golden Girl". A third gold medal for Cuthbert came when she ran the final leg on in the 4 × 100 metres final, which the Australian team won in a new world record.

During 1958 Cuthbert set world records for 100 and 220 yards but was beaten in both events by arch-rival and double-Olympic bronze medallist Marlene Mathews at the Australian Championships. Later in the year, at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales, Cuthbert could only place fourth in the 100y and second in the 220y, again behind Mathews.

She set a world record at 440 yards, which was broken in September 1959 by Maria Itkina of the Soviet Union.[14]

In the lead-up to the 1960 Summer Olympics, in Rome, Cuthbert set a world 220 yards and 200 metres record of 23.2 seconds in winning the Australian championships. At the Rome Games, she suffered from injury and was eliminated from the quarterfinals of the 100 metres. Subsequently, she retired from the sport of track and field.

Her retirement did not last long, though, for she returned at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia, helping Australia to a gold medal in the sprint relay.

Afterwards, she concentrated on the 400 metres, and she competed in that event in the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, when it was on the Olympic program for women for the first time. Though not impressive in the heats, Cuthbert won the title for her fourth Olympic gold medal, beating Ann Packer of Great Britain in an Olympic record of 52.01.[15] She is the only Olympian, male or female, to have won a gold medal in all sprint (running) events: 100, 200 and 400 metres. She subsequently verified her retirement for good after Tokyo. Also in 1964 she received the Helms Award for her sporting contributions.[16]

She was coached by June Ferguson, who was her physical education teacher in high school.[17][7]

Personal life[edit]

Cuthbert had multiple sclerosis from 1969 and in 2002 had a severe brain haemorrhage.[18] She stated that, despite her MS, she never once asked God 'Why me?', and instead "knew that God wanted her to use it to help other people."[19] In 1985, Cuthbert became a born-again Christian at the age of 47.[20] Always believing she was a Christian, the speaker at a public rally said there were private-practising Christians present. She felt compelled to publicly declare her faith in Jesus. From then on, Cuthbert tried to share the good news of Jesus with as many people as possible.[21] She did, however, initially want to be healed of her MS, and someone encouraged her to go to church where she could be healed. She claimed she went, looking for healing, instead of the Healer. In her own words: "I found out about the healer, and then I couldn't care less about the healing. That's the best thing. I get so much joy out of it and I want to tell other people about it. I think that's why I was meant to come back to the Olympics in 1964 because now I'm well known and it helps me to tell people about Jesus."[22]

Following her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis, Cuthbert became a dedicated advocate for the disease and was an important player in the creation of MS Research Australia, attending the organisation's 2004 inauguration alongside then-PM John Howard. She was a tireless campaigner for national awareness of the disease, and, following her death in 2017, was credited by CEO of MS Research Australia, Dr. Matthew Miles, as having had an incredible impact on Australia's recognition and understanding of MS.[23]

In 1991, Cuthbert left her home state, New South Wales, for Western Australia, where she settled in Mandurah.[24] Cuthbert was one of the bearers of the Olympic Torch at the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Sitting in a wheelchair and accompanied by Raelene Boyle, she carried the Olympic Torch at the stadium, as one of the runners for the final segment, before the lighting of the Olympic Flame by Cathy Freeman.[25]

Cuthbert died in 2017, aged 79,[26][27] in Mandurah.[28] Cuthbert never married or had children.[29] Rhonda Gillam, a 78-year-old West Australian mother-of-three, devoted the last 26 years of her life to caring for Cuthbert.[8] Gillam stated that Cuthbert's MS also took her hearing.[30] Cuthbert's twin sister, Midge Johnston, stated that Betty had been struggling with dementia in recent years, worrying that Betty would not remember her, but Betty always said "Midge, of course I remember you."[31]

Post-death[edit]

The day after her death, there was a minute's silence before the start of competition at the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London, and Australian athletes were granted permission by the International Association of Athletics Federations to wear black armbands in competition.[32] Cuthbert was the only Australian among the 10 inaugural inductees to the IAAF Hall of Fame in 2012.[32] There were many tributes to Cuthbert's career and life from significant Australians:

  • Cathy Freeman: Betty is an inspiration and her story will continue to inspire Australian athletes for generations to come. I'm so happy I got to meet such a tremendous and gracious role model, and Olympic champion.[33]
  • Marlene Matthews: I have never met anyone that had such great faith and determination. It was this faith that kept her going for so long and through the most difficult times.[34]
  • John Coates: Betty battled her illness for many years and showed tremendous courage, but more importantly she always managed to smile. Betty was a member of a unique band of athletes who inspired thousands of Australians.[34]
  • Malcolm Turnbull: Rest in Peace Betty Cuthbert – an inspiration and a champion on and off the track.[33]
  • Bill Shorten: Rest in peace Betty Cuthbert, forever a golden girl.[34]

Cuthbert's funeral was held on 16 August 2017 in Mandurah and her body was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery.[35] Several hundred were present, including Margaret Court, Raelene Boyle, and Marjorie Jackson. Dawn Fraser (whom Cuthbert handed the Olympic Torch to during the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics) gave a speech.[36] Her twin sister, Midge, lit a candle of remembrance; and niece and nephew, Louise and Peter, also gave speeches.[37] A public memorial service for Cuthbert was held on 21 August 2017, at the Sydney Cricket Ground.[38] Tributes were led by broadcaster Alan Jones and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce. Also in attendance were former athletes Norma Fleming and Marlene Matthews.[39]

Personal bests[edit]

Personal bests – outdoor
Event Time Wind City Date
60 metres 7.2 0.6+ Sydney 27 February 1960
100 yards 10.4 0.0 Sydney 1 March 1958
100 metres 11.4 Melbourne 24 November 1956
200 metres 23.2 No wind Sydney 16 September 1956
220 yards 23.2 Under 2.0 Hobart 7 March 1960
400 metres 52.01 - Tokyo 17 October 1964
440 yards 53.3 - Brisbane 23 March 1963

World records[edit]

Cuthbert achieved 14 world records during her career comprising 10 individual and four relays. In addition she set a number of world best, including unclaimed records, and metric distance bests.

Individual – manual and electronic timing[edit]

Event Time Wind Event City Date
60 metres 7.2 0.6+ NSW Championships Sydney, New South Wales 27 February 1960[15][40]
100 yards 10.4 0.0 NSW Championships Sydney, New South Wales 1 March 1958[15][40]
220 yards 23.6 Under 2.0 National Perth, Western Australia 18 January 1958[15][40]
220 yards 23.5 1.2+ NSW Championships Sydney, New South Wales 8 March 1958[15][40]
220 yards 23.2 Under 2.0 Australian Championships Hobart, Tasmania 7 March 1960[15][40]
200 metres 23.2 No wind Pre-Olympic Test Sydney, New South Wales 16 September 1956[15][40]
440 yards 55.6 - National Sydney, New South Wales 17 January 1959[15][40]
440 yards 54.3 - International Sydney, New South Wales 21 March 1959[15][40]
440 yards 53.5 - Moomba Carnival Melbourne, Victoria 11 March 1963[15][40]
440 yards 53.3 - Australian Championships Brisbane, Queensland 23 March 1963[15][40]

Team – manual and electronic timing[edit]

Event Time Wind Event City Date Other team members
4 x 100 metres 44.9 - Olympic Games Melbourne, Victoria 1 December 1956 Shirley Strickland, Norma Croker, Fleur Mellor[15][40]
4 x 100 metres 44.5 - Olympic Games Melbourne, Victoria 1 December 1956 Shirley Strickland, Norma Croker, Fleur Mellor[15][40]
4 x 110 yards 45.6 - Australian Championships Sydney, New South Wales 5 December 1956 Shirley Strickland, Norma Croker, Fleur Mellor[15][40]
4 x 220 yards 1:36.3 - Australia v USA v Commonwealth Sydney, New South Wales 5 December 1956 Marlene Matthews, Norma Croker, Fleur Mellor[15][40]

Honours[edit]

Statue of Betty Cuthbert outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground

Notable athletics achievements[edit]

  • At the time of her death, she was the youngest ever 200m gold medallist in Olympic history.
  • She won a gold medal at the inaugural Australian All Schools in 1951.
  • Cuthbert was the first Australian Olympian to win three gold medals at a Games (Murray Rose achieved this later in the 1956 Games).
  • Cuthbert is the only athlete to win the 100m, 200m and 400m at the Olympic Games.

Books[edit]

There are two books on Cuthbert's life: Golden girl as told to Jim Webster (1966) and Golden girl : an autobiography by Betty Cuthbert (2000).

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "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. ^ a b c d e "Betty Cuthbert". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Subscribe | theaustralian". www.theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  6. ^ "I Run Again". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 47, no. 14. Australia. 5 September 1979. p. 16. Retrieved 8 August 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ a b c Lennon, Troy (7 August 2017). "Betty Cuthbert overcame injuries to come back and win a fourth gold medal". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  8. ^ a b Dalton, Trent (9 May 2015). "Betty Cuthbert, multiple sclerosis and the gift of Rhonda Gillam". Weekend Australian Magazine. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  9. ^ Bartok, Di (21 June 2010). "Betty Cuthbert returns to Ermington for honour". Parramatta Advertiser. Retrieved 22 March 2012. Attending were members of her family, including twin sister Marie Johnsonand she had some kids and you do not want to know how to make kids
  10. ^ "Betty Cuthbert, 'Golden girl' who ran into the history books". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  11. ^ Anna (class 4S), Ermington Public School History Archived 24 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine, Ermington Public School Website (accessed 19 June 2006)
  12. ^ "Person of Faith: Betty Cuthbert". christiantoday.com.au. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Still running for God - creation.com". creation.com. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  14. ^ "Miss Cuthbert Loses Record". The Age. 15 September 1959. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Progression of World best performances and official IAAF World Records. Monaco: IAAF. 2003.
  16. ^ "Betty Cuthbert". sports-reference.com. Sports ReferenceLLC. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  17. ^ "June Ferguson". Athletics Australia Hall of Fame website. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  18. ^ Goldstein, Richard (6 August 2017). "Betty Cuthbert, Australia's golden girl of track dies at 79". New York Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  19. ^ FitzSimons, Peter (7 August 2017). "Happy and contented: Betty Cuthbert's humility outpaced her greatness". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  20. ^ "Betty Cuthbert Born Again Christian". The Australian. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  21. ^ "TheGoal.com: Betty Cuthbert". www.thegoal.com. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  22. ^ www.websterworld.com. "WebsterWorld – Online Encyclopedia – Australian Encyclopedia – World Encyclopedia – Education Resource – WebsterWorld". www.websterworld.com. Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  23. ^ "Olympian Betty Cuthbert remembered as Australia's 'golden girl' and MS advocate".
  24. ^ Browne, Rachel (7 August 2017). "Australian Olympic legend Betty Cuthbert has died". The Examiner. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  25. ^ Clip of the Opening Ceremony, part 12 on YouTube. Names visible on the big screen at 5:42.
  26. ^ "Australian Olympic great Betty Cuthbert dies: reports". SBS News, AAP. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  27. ^ "Olympic champion Betty Cuthbert dead at 79". Sydney Morning Herald. 7 August 2017.
  28. ^ "Betty Cuthbert offered state funeral". Shy News. 7 August 2017. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  29. ^ Browne, Rachel (7 August 2017). "Australian Olympic legend Betty Cuthbert has died". Daily Liberal. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  30. ^ "Suffering over, Betty Cuthbert leaves a golden legacy". The West Australian. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  31. ^ "Cuthbert: Our greatest athlete?". Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  32. ^ a b Salvado, John (8 August 2017). "Australians to wear armbands for Cuthbert". West Australian. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  33. ^ a b Gleeson, Michael (8 August 2017). "Athletics: Tributes for Betty Cuthbert". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  34. ^ a b c "Australia's 'golden girl' of the track, Betty Cuthbert 'went into bat' for MS research". SBS News. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  35. ^ "Betty 'forever our golden girl'". Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  36. ^ "Olympic greats gather to bid farewell to Australia's 'golden girl' Betty Cuthbert". ABC News. 16 August 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  37. ^ "Subscribe | theaustralian". www.theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  38. ^ "Olympian Betty Cuthbert remembered in memorial service at SCG". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  39. ^ "Betty Cuthbert remembered at SCG service". gearsofbiz.com. Archived from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  40. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Australian IAAF World Record Holders & World Best Performances". Athletics Australia website. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  41. ^ a b c "VALE Olympic champion Betty Cuthbert AM MBE". Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust website. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  42. ^ "Betty Cuthbert". National Portrait Gallery website. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  43. ^ "Hall of Fame". Athletics Australia website. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  44. ^ "Betty Cuthbert". Australian Women's Sport Register.
  45. ^ Dubecki, Larissa (3 August 2003). "Australia's golden girl delighted to get a bronze". The Age. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  46. ^ "Honour Roll". NSW Sports Centre website. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  47. ^ "Treloar Roses". Treloar Roses. Archived from the original on 5 March 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  48. ^ "Track and field getting Hall of Fame". ESPN Olympic Sports. ESPN. 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  49. ^ "Sam Kerr named Women's Health sportswoman of the Year". Daily Telegraph. 18 October 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  50. ^ "Bronze sculptures of Australia's olympic athletes Betty Cuthbert and Marlene Mathews Photos and Images | european pressphoto agency". Epa.eu. Archived from the original on 4 January 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  51. ^ "Cuthbert and Mathews our first ladies in bronze – Precinct". Scgt.nsw.gov.au. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  52. ^ Gregory's Street Directory, 59th Edition 1995, Map 310 B2
  53. ^ "Australia Day Honours 2018: The full list". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.

External links[edit]

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