Full Name: Elizabeth Cuthbert; known as Betty Cuthbert
Date of Birth: 20 th April, 1938
Country: Australia
Sport involved in: Athletics
Achievements made:
Gold medalist in the 100 meter sprint event at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games
Winner of gold medal in the 200 meter sprint in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics
A member of the gold medal winning Australian team in the 4x100 meter relay event at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games
Gold medalist in the 400 meter event in the 1964 Tokyo Summer Games
World record setter in the 60meter, 100 yards, 220 yards, 200 meter, 400meter sprint events and in the 4x100 meter and 4x220 meter relays
Olympic Torch bearer at the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Summer Games
Career: Betty Cuthbert started her career as a sprinter in high school. At the age of 18, Betty made the world record in the 200 meter sprint. Cuthbert's first appearance at the Olympics was in the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games . In the Games, Cuthbert won three gold medals in the 100 meter sprint, 200 meter sprint and 4x100 meter relay events. Cuthbert appeared in the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics . She could not win any title in this Olympics. After her disappointing performance at the 1960 Olympics, Cuthbert retired from the sports. After the short absence Cuthbert returned to the tracks in the 1962 Commonwealth Games. In her athletic career between 1956 and 1964, Cuthbert had set or equaled 18 world records in the 60meter, 100 yards, 220 yards, 200 meter, 400meter sprint events and in the 4x100 meter and 4x220 meter relays. In the 1964 Tokyo Summer Games , she competed in the 400 meter event, which was included in the program for the first time. Cuthbert won her fourth Gold medal in the Olympics by winning in the event. After the 1964 Games, she retired from athletics. In 2000, Cuthbert became the bearer of the Olympic Torch at the opening ceremony of the Sydney Summer Games.
Performance at the Olympics: Betty Cuthbert first participated at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games at the age of 18. In the Games, she won two gold medals in the 100 meter and 200 meter sprint events. Cuthbert also was a member of the old winning Australian team in the 4x100 meter relay event. For her achievements in the Games, she was called the “Golden Girl” by the Australian crowd. In the 1960 Rome Summer Games , Cuthbert had to withdraw after one race because of a hamstring injury. Cuthbert returned to the Olympic tracks at the 1964 Tokyo Summer Games . This time, she won the 400 meter Olympic title. Cuthbert is the only Olympic sprinter to win gold medals in the 100 meter, 200 meter and 400 meter sprint events.
