Glynis Nunn

Glynis Nunn took up athletics at age nine and her multi-eventing ability was discovered at the 1975 Queensland State Secondary Schools championships, where she won six events. She was chosen for the 1978 Australian Commonwealth Games team in pentathlon, but had to abandon the competition after two events due to injury. After winning silver in pentathlon at the 1981 Pacific Conference Games, Nunn won heptathlon gold at the 1982 Commonwealth Games, where she was also sixth in the 100 m hurdles and seventh in long jump. At the inaugural World Championships held in 1983 in Helsinki, Nunn finished seventh in heptathlon and was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 100 m hurdles.

At the 1984 Olympics, after the Soviet led boycott left the strong East German and Soviet heptathletes out of competition, Nunn was considered as one of the favorites to medal, although the gold medal favorite was US prodigy Jackie Joyner. After two failed attempts in the long jump, her strongest event, Joyner jumped only a safe 6.11 on her third attempt and Nunn took the lead after jumping 6.66. Joyner had the best javelin throw among the leaders, but Nunn outran Joyner in the 800 m to win gold, only five points ahead of Joyner. Nunn also competed in the high hurdles and long jump, finishing fifth and seventh, respectively. Nunn was named both Australian Sportswoman and Australian Sportsperson of the Year for 1984.

After her Olympic victory, Nunn retired from the heptathlon, concentrating on the 100 m hurdles, but her later career was plagued by injuries, so she only managed to win 100 m hurdles bronze at the 1986 Commonwealth Games, and she retired from athletics in 1990. She won Australian titles in the 100 m hurdles in 1982-86, pentathlon in 1978 and 1980, and heptathlon in 1981-82 and 1984. Nunn later worked as athletics coach and sports administrator, holding many positions with the Australian Track and Field Coaches Association and was member of Athletics Australia Management and Construction Committee. She served as a selector and coach of Australian national junior and senior teams.

Personal Bests: 100H – 13.02 (1984); LJ – 6.66 (1984); Hep – 6387 (1984).