Sylvia Mildred Potts (née Oxenham, 19 September 1943 – 31 August 1999) was a New Zealand middle-distance athlete who represented her country at two

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

and one

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...

. She memorably fell two metres from the finish of the 1500 m final at the

1970 Commonwealth Games The 1970 British Commonwealth Games (Scottish Gaelic: Geamannan a 'Cho-fhlaitheis Bhreatainn 1970) were held in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 16 to 25 July 1970. This was the first time the name British Commonwealth Games was adopted, the first time ...

in Edinburgh while leading the race.

Early life and family

Born in

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...

in 1943, Potts was educated at

Freyberg High School Freyberg High School ( mi, Te Kura o Te Pou Hōia) is a state co-educational secondary school located in the suburb of Roslyn in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Freyberg High School is named for hero of both world wars, Lord Bernard Freyberg, w ...

, where she was head girl. She then studied at the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate u ...

, completing a Diploma of Physical Education in 1964. She married

Allan Potts Allan W. Potts (May 14, 1904 – November 5, 1952) was an American National Indoor and Outdoor Champion speed skater who competed in the 1932 Winter Olympics and in the 1936 Winter Olympics. Inducted May 18, 1967, at Detroit, Michigan, into ...

the following year. Together they had three children, including Richard Potts who represented New Zealand in athletics at the 1990 and 1994 Commonwealth Games.

Athletics career

National championships

Coached by Allan Potts from 1963, Sylvia Potts won six national athletics titles between 1967 and 1970: the 440 yards in 1967 and 1969; the 400 m in 1970; the 880 yards in 1969; the 800 m in 1970 and the 3 km cross country in 1970. Potts ran her personal best for the 800 m, a national record time of 2:04.0, in winning the 1970 national championship.

Olympic Games

She represented New Zealand at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, where she finished sixth in the semi-finals of the

800 m The 800 metres, or meters ( US spelling), is a common track running event. It is the shortest commonly run middle-distance running event. The 800 metres is run over two laps of an outdoor (400-metre) track and has been an Olympic event since the ...

with a time of 2:07.02.

Commonwealth Games

At the

1970 British Commonwealth Games The 1970 British Commonwealth Games (Scottish Gaelic: Geamannan a 'Cho-fhlaitheis Bhreatainn 1970) were held in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 16 to 25 July 1970. This was the first time the name British Commonwealth Games was adopted, the first tim ...

in Edinburgh in 1970 Potts competed in both the 800 m and 1500 m, reaching the final in both events. She finished fifth in the 800 m, but it is for her finish in the 1500 m that she is most remembered. Leading the race into the final few metres, Potts fell just short of the finishing line and eventually finished in ninth place. Potts was given the honour of running the final leg of the

Queen's Baton Relay The Queen's Baton Relay is a relay around the world held prior to the beginning of the Commonwealth Games. The Baton carries a message from the Head of the Commonwealth, currently King Charles III. The Relay traditionally begins at Buckingha ...

at the opening of the

1974 British Commonwealth Games The 1974 British Commonwealth Games ( mi, 1974 Taumāhekeheke Commonwealth) 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. The Games were off ...

in Christchurch, running the baton carrying the Queen's message into the

Queen Elizabeth II Park Queen Elizabeth II Park was a multi-use stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand, located in a large park of the same name. The stadium had a capacity of 25,000 people and was built in 1973 to host the 1974 British Commonwealth Games, with a tempor ...

stadium and presenting it to the

Duke of Edinburgh Duke of Edinburgh, named after the city of Edinburgh in Scotland, was a substantive title that has been created three times since 1726 for members of the British royal family. It does not include any territorial landholdings and does not produc ...

. Later at those games, she finished eighth in the 1500 m final.

Coaching and management

After retiring as an athlete, Potts joined her husband Allan as a coach, and together they coached many young athletes, particularly at the Hastings Athletics Club. In 1990, she served as the New Zealand athletics team manager at the

1990 Commonwealth Games The 1990 Commonwealth Games ( mi, 1990 Taumāhekeheke Commonwealth) were held in Auckland, New Zealand from 24 January – 3 February 1990. It was the 14th Commonwealth Games, and part of New Zealand's 1990 sesquicentennial celebrations. Partic ...

in Auckland.

Death

Potts died in

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

from cancer on 31 August 1999, and she was buried at Mangaroa Cemetery.

Honours and legacy

In the 1998 Queen's Birthday Honours, Potts was appointed an

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rend ...

, for services to athletics. In 2008, she was one of the second group of inductees onto the University of Otago School of Physical Education's wall of fame. Following Potts' death, the major annual track and field meet in

Hawke's Bay Hawke's Bay ( mi, Te Matau-a-Māui) is a local government region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region's name derives from Hawke Bay, which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke. The region is ...

was named the Sylvia Potts Classic. It was renamed the Allan and Sylvia Potts Classic in 2015 after the death of Allan Potts.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Potts, Sylvia 1943 births 1999 deaths Sportspeople from Palmerston North People educated at Freyberg High School University of Otago alumni New Zealand female middle-distance runners Athletes (track and field) at the 1968 Summer Olympics Olympic athletes of New Zealand Commonwealth Games competitors for New Zealand Athletes (track and field) at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games Athletes (track and field) at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games New Zealand sports executives and administrators New Zealand athletics coaches Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit Deaths from cancer in New Zealand