Wendy Sly
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| Born | 5 November 1959 Hampton, Greater London | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Borough of Hounslow Athletics Club Brooks Racing Team (USA) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Wendy Sly MBE (née Smith, born 5 November 1959) is a female British former athlete, who competed mainly in the 3000 metres. She won a silver medal in the event at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She won the 1983 10km World Road Race Championships in San Diego.
Career
Sly was born in Hampton, Greater London, England. In 1978, as Wendy Smith, she finished 43rd at the World Cross Country Championships, and won a team bronze medal. In 1980, she was the UK number one in the 3000 metres and finished second in the 1500 metres at the UK Championships.[1] /bc/ In 1982, at the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, she won a silver medal in the 3000 metres, running 8:48.47 behind Anne Audain.[2]
In 1983, now competing as Wendy Sly, she finished fifth in the finals of both the 1500 metres and the 3000 metres at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki. She ran her lifetime bests in both events, 4:04.14 in the 1500 m and 8:37.06 in the 3000 m. Also that year, she won the IAAF World Women's Road Race Championships in San Diego contested over 10 km.
At her first Olympic Games in 1984 in Los Angeles, Sly won a silver medal in the infamous 3000 metres final that included the collision between Mary Decker and Zola Budd, with whom she had a strong rivalry. She ran a season's best of 8:39.47. The race was won by Maricica Puică of Romania. She represented England in the 3,000 metres event, at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland.[3][4]
Sly finished eighth in the 1987 World Championships 3000 metres final in Rome. Then at her second Olympics in Seoul, she finished seventh in the 3000 metres final in 8:37.70, her fastest time in five years.[5] She represented England in the in the 10,000 metres event, at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand.[6][7]
As of 2014, Sly still ranks in the UK all-time top 10 lists in the 3000 metres (6th with 8:37.06 1983), 10,000 metres (10th with 31:53.36 in 1988), 10 km road (3rd with 31:29 in 1983) and 15 km road (4th with 48:17 in 1985).
She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to athletics.[8][9]
Personal life
In 1997, she had a son, Max Heath. In 2013, she married her long-term partner, Andrew, whom she met through working together for her former university friend and colleague, Sebastian Coe.
National titles
- 1986 UK 3000 metres Champion
- 1987 AAA Championships 3000 metres Champion
- 1988 AAAs Indoor 3000 metres Champion
International competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | World Cross Country Championships | Glasgow, Scotland | 43rd | 4.7 km | |
| 1981 | World Cross Country Championships | Madrid, Spain | 65th | 4.4 km | |
| 1982 | Commonwealth Games | Brisbane, Australia | 2nd | 3000 m | 8:48.47 |
| 1983 | World Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 5th | 1500 m | 4:04.14 |
| 5th | 3000 m | 8:37.06 | |||
| World Women's Road Race Championships | San Diego, United States | 1st | 10 km | 32:23 | |
| 1984 | Olympic Games | Los Angeles, United States | 2nd | 3000 m | 8:39.47 |
| 1986 | Commonwealth Games | Edinburgh, Scotland | 8th | 3000 m | 9:14.04 |
| 1987 | World Championships | Rome, Italy | 8th | 300 m | 8:45.85 |
| 1988 | Olympic Games | Seoul, South Korea | 7th | 3000 m | 8:37.70 |
| 1990 | Commonwealth Games | Auckland, New Zealand | DNF | 10,000 m | — |
References
- ^ http://www.gbrathletics.com
- ^ "Athletes and results". Commonwealth Games Federation.
- ^ "1986 Athletes". Team England.
- ^ "England team in 1986". Commonwealth Games Federation.
- ^ http://www.todor66.com/olim/1984/Athletics/index.html
- ^ "1990 Athletes". Team England.
- ^ "England team in 1990". Commonwealth Games Federation.
- ^ "No. 61092". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2014. p. N24.
- ^ 2015 New Year Honours List
External links
- 1959 births
- Living people
- British female middle-distance runners
- British female long-distance runners
- English female cross country runners
- British female cross country runners
- Olympic athletes of Great Britain
- Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain
- Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field)
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics
- Commonwealth Games competitors for England
- Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics
- Commonwealth Games silver medallists for England
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1982 Commonwealth Games
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1986 Commonwealth Games
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1990 Commonwealth Games
- Members of the Order of the British Empire