Raelene Boyle
Encyclopedia
Raelene Ann Boyle, AM
, MBE
, (born 24 June 1951), Australia
n athlete, represented Australia at three Olympic Games
as a sprinter
, winning three silver
medal
s. In 1998, Boyle was named one of 100 National Living Treasures
by the National Trust of Australia
.
, a suburb
of Melbourne
. She was educated at Coburg High School in Melbourne.
and Olympic trials, Boyle was selected to represent Australia at the 1968 Summer Olympics
in Mexico City
, at the age of 16. At 17, she won a silver medal in the 200 metre sprint
and placed 4th in the 100 metres
.
Boyle competed in the 1970 British Commonwealth Games
in Edinburgh
, where she contributed to Australia's number one position on the medal tally with three gold medals, in the 100 and 200 metre sprints and the 4x100 metre relay
.
At the 1972 Olympics
in Munich
, Boyle collected two more silver medals, in the 100 metre and 200 metre sprints. In both races, she came second to East German Renate Stecher
.
In 1974, at the Christchurch
British Commonwealth Games
, Boyle duplicated her results at the Edinburgh Games, winning three more gold medals in the same three events.
At the 1976 Olympics
in Montreal
, Boyle finished fourth in the final of the 100 metre sprint, but was disqualified from the 200 metre-race for making two false starts.
Unfortunately, a video
replay
later showed that she had not false started on her first start. However, Boyle did receive the honour of acting as the flag bearer for the Australian team, the first woman to do so.
Boyle was unable to replicate her previous Commonwealth success at the 1978 Commonwealth Games
in Edmonton, winning only a silver medal in the 100 metre sprint before withdrawing from the 200m and relay due to injury.
Boyle was selected to compete in the 1980 Olympics
in Moscow
but eventually withdrew from the team after a long dispute within Australian sporting circles over whether to join the USA led boycott of the Games.
Her final major competitive appearance was at the 1982 Commonwealth Games
in Brisbane
, where she won gold in the 400 metre sprint, and silver in the 4x400 metre relay.
Through her successful career, Boyle won seven gold and two silver medals at the Commonwealth Games
, in addition to her three silver medals at the Olympic Games
.
Some people consider Boyle unlucky not to have won Olympic gold as some athletes who beat her were later revealed to be drug
cheats.
Boyle currently lives on the Sunshine Coast
, Queensland
, Australia
with her companion. She sold her 1972 Summer Olympics
100 meters silver medal in 1997 to raise money to pay for her breast cancer
treatment.
. Also in 1974, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
selected Boyle as the Sportsperson of the Year. In 1988, Boyle was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. 25 September 1989 saw her awarded the Douglas Wilkie Medal
by the Anti-Football League
, for doing the least for football in the best and fairest manner. The Queen's Birthday Honours
of 2007 saw her appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, (born 24 June 1951), 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 athlete, represented Australia at three 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...
as a sprinter
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
, winning three silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
medal
Medal
A medal, or medallion, is generally a circular object that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped, or some way rendered with an insignia, portrait, or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific,...
s. In 1998, Boyle was named one of 100 National Living Treasures
Australian Living Treasures
Australian Living Treasures are people who have been nominated by the National Trust of Australia. The first list of 100 Living Treasures was published in 1997....
by the National Trust of Australia
National Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
.
Early life
Boyle was born on 24 June 1951, the daughter of Gilbert and Irene Boyle, in CoburgCoburg, Victoria
Coburg is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland, although a handful of properties on Coburg's Eastern boundary are located in the City of Darebin...
, a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. She was educated at Coburg High School in Melbourne.
Sporting career
After strong performances in the 1968 Australian ChampionshipsAustralian 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,...
and Olympic trials, Boyle was selected to represent Australia at the 1968 Summer Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, at the age of 16. At 17, she won a silver medal in the 200 metre sprint
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
and placed 4th in 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...
.
Boyle competed in the 1970 British Commonwealth Games
1970 British Commonwealth Games
The 1970 British Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland from 16 July to 25 July 1970.This was the first time the name British Commonwealth Games was adopted, the first time metric units rather than imperial units were used in events, and also the first time the games were held in...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, where she contributed to Australia's number one position on the medal tally with three gold medals, in the 100 and 200 metre sprints and the 4x100 metre relay
Relay
A relay is an electrically operated switch. Many relays use an electromagnet to operate a switching mechanism mechanically, but other operating principles are also used. Relays are used where it is necessary to control a circuit by a low-power signal , or where several circuits must be controlled...
.
At the 1972 Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Boyle collected two more silver medals, in the 100 metre and 200 metre sprints. In both races, she came second to East German Renate Stecher
Renate Stecher
Renate Stecher is a German athlete and a triple Olympic champion.Born as Renate Meißner, she was a very talented athlete, also competing in the high jump and pentathlon...
.
In 1974, at the Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
British Commonwealth Games
1974 British Commonwealth Games
The 1974 British Commonwealth Games were held in Christchurch, New Zealand from 24 January to 2 February 1974. The bid vote was held in Edinburgh at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games....
, Boyle duplicated her results at the Edinburgh Games, winning three more gold medals in the same three events.
At the 1976 Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Boyle finished fourth in the final of the 100 metre sprint, but was disqualified from the 200 metre-race for making two false starts.
Unfortunately, a video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
replay
Replay
Replay may refer to:*Replay , a replayed match in between two sport teams to decide in case of tie or conflict resulting from scoring, officiating, fouling or other factors...
later showed that she had not false started on her first start. However, Boyle did receive the honour of acting as the flag bearer for the Australian team, the first woman to do so.
Boyle was unable to replicate her previous Commonwealth success at the 1978 Commonwealth Games
1978 Commonwealth Games
The 1978 Commonwealth Games were held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 3 to 12 August 1978, two years after the 1976 Summer Olympics were held in Montreal, Quebec...
in Edmonton, winning only a silver medal in the 100 metre sprint before withdrawing from the 200m and relay due to injury.
Boyle was selected to compete in the 1980 Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
but eventually withdrew from the team after a long dispute within Australian sporting circles over whether to join the USA led boycott of the Games.
Her final major competitive appearance was at the 1982 Commonwealth Games
1982 Commonwealth Games
The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 30 September–9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium , in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the venue which was used for the athletics and archery competitions during the...
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, where she won gold in the 400 metre sprint, and silver in the 4x400 metre relay.
Through her successful career, Boyle won seven gold and two silver medals at the Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
, in addition to her three silver medals at the 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...
.
Some people consider Boyle unlucky not to have won Olympic gold as some athletes who beat her were later revealed to be drug
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
cheats.
Boyle currently lives on the Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast, Queensland
The Sunshine Coast is an urban area in South East Queensland, north of the state capital of Brisbane on the Pacific Ocean coastline. Although it does not have a central business district, by population it ranks as the 10th largest metropolis in Australia and the third largest in...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, 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...
with her companion. She sold her 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
100 meters silver medal in 1997 to raise money to pay for her breast cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
treatment.
Honours
On 15 June 1974, Boyle was appointed an MBEOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
. Also in 1974, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
selected Boyle as the Sportsperson of the Year. In 1988, Boyle was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. 25 September 1989 saw her awarded the Douglas Wilkie Medal
Douglas Wilkie Medal
The Douglas Wilkie Medal is an award presented to those who do the least for Australian rules football, in the best and fairest manner. An accolade presented by the Anti-Football League, it is named after Douglas Wilkie, a Sun News-Pictorial columnist who wrote for the paper during the years...
by the Anti-Football League
Anti-Football League
The Anti-Football League is an Australian organisation that pokes fun at the obsession with Australian Rules Football. It was founded by Melbourne journalist Keith Dunstan in 1967...
, for doing the least for football in the best and fairest manner. The Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
of 2007 saw her appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia.
See also
- List of Olympic medalists in athletics (women)
- Australian athletics champions (Women)