Edith Frances Robinson (later Mrs Payne) (26 February 1906 - 7 October 2000) was the first Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n female track and field athlete to compete at an Olympic Games

Olympic Games

The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...

.

In the 1928 Amsterdam Games

1928 Summer Olympics

The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...

, the first to feature women's athletics events, Robinson was run out in the semi-finals of the 100 metres

100 metres

The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...

 and the heats of the 800 metres

800 metres

The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...

. Though Robinson had never before competed in an 800m race, she was urged to run by her male Olympic colleagues.

Later, Robinson won Australian Championships

Australian Championships in Athletics

The Australian Athletics Championships or Australian Open Track and Field Championships are held annually to determine Australia's champion athletes in a range of athletics events. The championships are the primary qualification trial for athletes wishing to compete at the Olympic Games,...

 over 100 yards (1935) and 220 yards (1933/1935/1936), but never again represented Australia. In 1934, she unofficially equalled the world record for 100 yards of 11.0 and, through her career, set Australian records from 100 to 440 yards.

During the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games

2000 Summer Olympics

The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...

, as Australia's oldest living Olympian, Robinson was awarded the honour of officially opening the Olympic Village. Soon after this, and before the conclusion of the Sydney Games, Payne died on 7 October 2000.