Dianne Bowering-Burge

Track sprinter Dianne Bowering-Burge was virtually unknown when she caused an upset by winning the Australian championship in the 100 yards in 1963. By the end of the year Burge was ranked third in the world, earning herself a spot on the Australian Olympic team for the 1964 Tokyo Games. In Tokyo she reached the quarter-finals of the 100 metres and finished sixth in the final of the 4 × 100 metres relay. Her best performances came two years later at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica where she won three gold medals. Burge did the sprint double with victory in the 100 yards and the 220 yards, as well as gold in the 4 x 110 yards relay with compatriots Jennifer Lamy, Pam Kilborn, and Joyce Bennett.

In 1967 Burge won the 100 and 200 metres at the Commonwealth vs USA meet in Los Angeles, beating the Olympic champion Wyomia Tyus in the 100 metres. A year later she competed at her second Olympics when she ran in three events in Mexico City in 1968. She was a strong favourite for the 100 metres but finished sixth in the final after suffering from a bout of illness. She reached the semi-finals of the 200 metres and finished fifth in the 4 x 100 metres relay.

During her career Burge won five Australian titles and seven South Australia championships, and set three national records, in addition to setting more than 20 South Australian records. She was inducted into both the Athletics SA and Sport SA Hall of Fame, and was named the Athletics SA’s Athlete of the Century.

Personal Bests: 100 – 11.33 (1968); 200 – 23.0 (1968).