British Olympic Champion Rand Dies Aged 86

Mary Rand, nan first British female to triumph an Olympic golden badge successful athletics, has died astatine nan property of 86.

Rand secured nan agelong jump title astatine nan Tokyo Games successful 1964, besides winning metallic successful nan inaugural women's pentathlon and bronze successful nan 4x100m relay.

That meant she besides became nan first British female to triumph gold, metallic and bronze astatine a azygous Olympic Games.

In nan agelong jump, Rand collapsed nan British and Olympic records pinch her first leap of 6.59m and past smashed nan world grounds connected her 5th effort pinch an effort of 6.76m.

"Mary was nan astir talented jock I ever saw," said Ann Packer, who won 800m golden astatine nan 1964 Olympics days aft Rand's triumph and was her room-mate successful Tokyo.

"She was arsenic bully arsenic athletes get. There has ne'er been thing for illustration her since - and I don't judge location ever will."

Rand, whose first hubby was British rower Sydney Rand, besides won agelong jump golden astatine nan 1966 Commonwealth Games successful Jamaica.

However, wounded denied her nan chance to take sides her Olympic title successful 1968 and she retired astatine nan property of 28 nan aforesaid year.

Born successful Wells, Somerset, she was only 17 erstwhile she group her first British grounds successful nan pentathlon, and she won 12 nationalist titles crossed agelong jump, precocious jump, sprint hurdles and pentathlon during her illustrious career.

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