Marlene Mathews

Marlene Judith Mathews ( during their marriages Mathews and Willard Mathews O'Shea, born February 14, 1934 in Sydney ) is a former Australian track and field athlete and Olympic bronze medalist.

At the Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956, she won the 100 -meter run the bronze medal behind the Australian Betty Cuthbert (Gold ) and the German Christa Stubnick (silver). Also she won bronze in the 200 -meter run also behind Cuthbert ( gold) and Stubnick (silver).

On 20 March 1958, she improved the world record for the 100 yards to 10.3 seconds, and two days later the world record over 220 yards to 23.4 seconds. Another world record she ran on January 6, 1957 in the 400 -meter run with 57.0 seconds.

In 1958 she married Barry Willard ( the marriage was later divorced). In 1960, she failed at the Olympic Games in Rome about 100 m in the semifinals and then retired from the sport back.

A few years later she began to get involved as Sportfunktionärin, continued his education to coach and assistant manager was the Australian team at the Olympic Games 1972. 1985 she was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.