Eileen Winifred Edwards (31 March 1903 – 14 February 1988) was an English athlete specialising in

sprinting Sprinting is running over a short distance at the top-most speed of the body in a limited period of time. It is used in many sports that incorporate running, typically as a way of quickly reaching a target or goal, or avoiding or catching an op ...

. She set 18

world records A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...

or world leading times across different distances.

Athletics career

She broke the world record for 220 yards in 1924 at 26.2 seconds, and then achieved 26.0 seconds in 1926 and 25.4 seconds in 1927 at the slightly shorter

200 metres The 200 metres, or 200-meter dash, is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 metre racetrack, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques is needed to successfully run the race. A slightl ...

. She set her first world record at the 250 metres in 1924 and improved to 33.4 when she won the gold at the

1926 Events January * January 3 – Theodoros Pangalos declares himself dictator in Greece. * January 8 **Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud is crowned King of Hejaz. ** Crown Prince Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thuy ascends the throne, the last monarch of V ...

Women's World Games The Women's World Games were the first international women's sports events in track and field. The games were held four times between 1922 and 1934. They were established by Alice Milliat and the Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale (FSF ...

in Gothenburg. At the same games, she was part of the world record setting winning 4 x 110 yards relay team (with Dorothy Scouler, Florence Haynes and Rose Thompson). She also set a world record in the 440 yards in 1924 at 60.8 seconds.

Personal life

Edwards was born in

Willesden Willesden () is an area of northwest London, situated 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Charing Cross. It is historically a parish in the county of Middlesex that was incorporated as the Municipal Borough of Willesden in 1933, and has formed ...

, London, England on 31 March 1903 to Sydney George Edwards and Laetitia Henrietta Edwards (née Cartwright); her father was of "

independent means ''Independent Means'' is a stage play written by Stanley Houghton, a leading member of the Manchester School of dramatists. The play was Houghton's first professional full-length play which was written in 1908. Its first title was ''The Unempl ...

". She would go on to run a

riding school An equestrian facility is created and maintained for the purpose of accommodating, training or competing equids, especially horses. Based on their use, they may be known as a barn, stables, or riding hall and may include commercial operations descr ...

in Stoborough, Dorset. She died on 14 February 1988 in

Wareham, Dorset Wareham ( ) is a historic market town and, under the name Wareham Town, a civil parish, in the English county of Dorset. The town is situated on the River Frome eight miles (13 km) southwest of Poole. Situation and geography The town is bu ...

, England, aged 84.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Eileen 1903 births 1988 deaths English female sprinters Athletes from London Women's World Games medalists