Sheila Lerwill

Sheila Lerwill, born as Sheila Alexander, ( born August 16, 1928 in London) is a former British athlete. The high jumper in 1950 European Champion and 1952 Olympic silver medalist.

The jumper succeeded, starting under her birth name, 1950 her first British record of 1.69 meters. In the same year she won her first national title. At the European Championships in 1950, she won the title with 1.63 meters ahead of her compatriot Dorothy Tyler and Galina Ganeker from the Soviet Union, both of which jumped the same height.

On July 7, 1951, she won, now married, her second title in London's White City Stadium. With 1.72 meters, it exceeded while the nine -year-old world record of Fanny blanker - Koen. At the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, the South African Esther Fire won with 1.67 meters in front Lerwill with 1.65 meters and Alexandra Tschudina (Soviet Union) with 1.63 meters.

1953 and 1954 won Lerwill again the British title. May 1954 Tschudina jumped 1.73 meters set a new world record. In the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1954 in Vancouver Lerwill was starting for England, with 1.57 meters Fourth. It won the aspiring Nordirin Thelma Hopkins with 1.68 meters in front of Dorothy Tyler with 1.60 meters. 25 days later, the final was held at the European Championships in Bern. While Tyler did not compete, Hopkins won with 1.67 meters. Lerwill was 1.60 meters fifth.

Sheila Lerwill was trained by George Pallett. The 1.71 -meter jumper had a competition weight of 63 kg.