Colette Besson
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Full name | Colette Henriette•Besson (-Noguès) |
| Used name | Colette•Besson |
| Born | 7 April 1946 in Saint-Georges-de-Didonne, Charente-Maritime (FRA) |
| Died | 9 August 2005 in Angoulins, Charente-Maritime (FRA) |
| Measurements | 169 cm / 58 kg |
| Affiliations | Bordeaux EC, Bordeaux (FRA) |
| NOC |  France |
| Medals | OG |
| Gold | 1 |
| Silver | 0 |
| Bronze | 0 |
| Total | 1 |
Biography
Colette Besson had a brief but solid career as a one-lap runner for France. She was not favored to win the 400 at the 1968 Olympics, but overtook the favorite, Lillian Board, in the final run-in, moving up from fifth place at the top of the straight. Besson later ran on two French 4x400 relay teams that twice broke the world record in 1969. At the European Championships she was silver medalist in the 400 in 1969 and finished 7th in the event in 1971. She later became a physical education teacher.
Personal Bests: 200 – 23.4 (1969); 400 – 51.79 (1969); 800 – 2:03.3 (1971).
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 Summer Olympics | Athletics | FRA |
Colette Besson | |||
| 400 metres, Women (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 4 × 100 metres Relay, Women (Olympic) | France | |||||
| 1972 Summer Olympics | Athletics | FRA |
Colette Besson | |||
| 400 metres, Women (Olympic) | 5 h2 r2/4 | |||||
| 4 × 400 metres Relay, Women (Olympic) | France | 4 |
Special Notes
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Athletics Championships (0–2–0 1969 Athina silver: 400 m and 4×400 m relay)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Athletics Indoor Championships (3–1–2 1969 Beograd gold: 400 m and 4×195 m relay; 1970 Wien gold: 2000 m (200-400-600-800) medley relay, bronze: 400 m; 1972 Grenoble bronze: 4×360 m relay; 1973 Rotterdam silver: 4×360 m relay)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the Mediterranean Games (1–1–1 1971 İzmir ATH gold: 400 m, silver: 4×100 m relay, bronze: 800 m)