Shirley De La Hunty (nee Strickland)   Awarded Titles: MBE, AO D.O.B: 18 Jul 1925. Place of Birth: Sydney, Australia Education: Graduated from university with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in physics. Occupation: Lectured in mathematics and physics at Perth Technical College before taking up athletics seriously. Became involved in local government and was appointed Deputy Mayor of the City of Melville at one stage, after athletics. Club: Western Suburbs Athletic Club (Sydney) Sport: Athletics: 100m, 80m hurdles, 4 x 100m relay

Other interests:

After her competitive athletic career she was involved in athletics coaching, community organisations and in local government.

Honours

• Officer In The Order of Australia (AO) in 2001
• Inducted into the Athletes Hall of Fame in 2000
• Inducted into the U.S Women's Sporting Hall of Fame in November 1998
• IAAF Medal For Service To Sport in 1987
• Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1957
• ABC Sportsperson of the Year in 1957

Career Highlights

1948	Olympics: Bronze - 100m sprint, Bronze - 80m hurdles, 4 x 100m relay
1950	C'wealth Games: 80 metre hurdles - gold 4 x 440 yards relay - gold 4 x 660 yards relay - gold 110yds sprint - silver 220yds sprint - silver
1952	Olympics: Bronze - 100m sprint, Gold - 80m hurdles
1956	Olympics: Gold - 80m hurdles, Gold - 4 x 100m
Shirley's record of winning a total of 7 Olympic medals was broken at the 2000 Sydney Olympics by Merlene Ottey. She was the first woman to retain an individual Olympic title.

Records

• Sets new world record twice for the 80m hurdles on two consecutive days at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics
• Sets new world record for the 100m in 1955
• Member of the 4 x 100m relay team that set a new world record at the 1952 Helsinki and the 1956 Melbourne Olympics
• Member of the 4 x 110yds relay team that set a new world record in 1952 and 1956