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UK Athletics hailed her as someone who “blazed a trail for women in the sport” through her track-and-field success at the 1964 Tokyo Games.
Mary Rand, the first British woman to win an Olympic gold in athletics, has died aged 86.
She won the long jump title when she competed at the Tokyo Games in 1964.
Born in Wells, Somerset, Mary Rand made history with a remarkable performance, setting British and Olympic records on her first attempt with a 6.59m jump. She went on to surpass the world record in her final effort, achieving a leap of 6.76m.
At just 24 years old, she also secured a silver medal in the inaugural women’s pentathlon and a bronze as part of the 4x100m relay team in Japan, becoming the first British woman to win gold, silver, and bronze medals at a single Olympic Games. No British woman has matched this achievement since.
In a statement on X, UK Athletics said it was saddened by the passing of Olympic, European, and Commonwealth champion Mary Rand at the age of 86.
“Mary Rand became the first British woman to win three medals at a single Olympic Games at Tokyo 1964 and paved the way for future generations of women in athletics,” the organisation said.
Rand also won long jump gold at the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Jamaica.
But she was forced to retire at the young age of 28 due to injury, and did not get to defend her Olympic title.
Rand first married British rower Sydney, with whom she had a daughter, before marrying American Bill Toomey, the 1968 Olympic decathlon champion, and moving to the US.
They were together for 22 years, and had two daughters.
Rand later married John Reese and continued living in the US, with a home in California and then moving to Nevada.
She was named the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year in 1964, and also made an MBE in the 1965 New Year Honours.
