Lillian Palmer took up track and field athletics in the 1920s in her home province of British Columbia. She first gained national attention in 1930 when she set an unofficial world record in the 50 metres with a time of 5.8 seconds. Later that year she became Intermediate Canadian Champion in the 60 and 100 metres, as well as the 4×100 metre relay. In 1932 she was senior national champion in the 4×100 metre relay, alongside Mary Frizzell and the non-Olympians Doreen Caird and Helen Reeves, and was selected to represent Canada in that event at that year’s Summer Olympics. At the Games she won a silver medal in the 4×100 m relay with Frizzell, Mildred Fizzell, and Hilda Strike. The following year she was Canadian Champion in the 200 metres and, in 1934, was selected for the nation’s delegation to the 1934 British Empire Games. There she won a gold medal in the 220-110-220-110 yards relay alongside Aileen Meagher and the non-Olympians Audrey Dearnley and Betty White, in addition to placing fourth in the 220 yards. She retired from active competition after the Games and was inducted into the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame in 1969.
Personal Best: 100 – 12.2 (1931).
Canada