Mary Peters (111), photo courtesy of BBCSports.com
Steve Ovett, Seb Coe, and Steve Cram, photo by PhotoRun.net
Wendy Sly, procured from her Twitter page (@Wendyslyrun)
LONDON (GBR): Former British athletics stars, Steve Cram, Mary Peters and Wendy Sly, have all been recognised in Great Britain’s New Year’s Honours List, inform Reuters. Steve Cram, the 1983 1500m champion and 1984 Olympic silver medallist, has been made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of his work as chair of the English Institute of Sport (EIS). Wendy Sly, who also won silver at the 1984 Olympics, in her preferred distance of 3000m, has been recognised for her services to athletics by being made a Member of the British Empire (MBE). Mary Peters, who won the Olympic pentathlon title in 1972, received a damehood in 2000 and has now been made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for her services to sport and the community in Northern Ireland.
(Editor’s note: I had the pleasure of watching Steve Cram race in his prime, but have enjoyed him most in his TV career and his fine, but too seldom, writing. Steve is a thoughtful observer of the sport, and his keen awareness of the sport, it’s good points and difficult points, comes through in his broadcasting. Cram is simply one of the best announcers that I have ever seen.
Mary Peters, I remember seeing in the 1972 Olympics and her amazingly tight battle for the gold medal. I believe that I have met her once, but have always been quite impressed by her athleticism and her grace, in the pentathlon, under huge competition in Munich.
I remember watching Wendy Sly in the 1984 Olympic 3000m final, where she took silver. In that race, Wendy Sly stayed on her feet, and kept her composure in the overwhelming pressure of an Olympic final. I knew Wendy from her road racing and indoor racing in US in early 1980s. Wendy spends much of her time supporting young British women athletes as they develop in the sport. Wendy Sly is a publishing professional, who is putting much time and energy into the sport of athletics. Wendy is an amazing person, who raced from 800m to the 10,000m on the track, still holding the British indoor mile best.
So very happy to see all three receive recognition on the New Year’s Honours List!)
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Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys.
Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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