25 Facts About Betty Cuthbert

Betty Cuthbert had a distinctive running style, with a high knee lift and mouth wide open.

Betty Cuthbert was named in 1998 an Australian National Treasure and was inducted as a Legend in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Athletics Australia Hall of Fame in 2000.

Betty Cuthbert was born to Leslie and Marion alongside her nonidentical twin sister, Marie 'Midge'.

Betty Cuthbert had another sister, Jean and a brother, John.

The daughter of nursery owners, Betty Cuthbert was born in Merrylands, New South Wales and grew up in the Sydney suburb of Ermington, where she attended Ermington Public School.

Betty Cuthbert left school at the age of 16 to work in the family nursery.

Betty Cuthbert was a member of the Western Suburbs Athletic Club.

At the age of 18, with the 1956 Summer Olympics to be held in Melbourne, Betty Cuthbert set a World Record in the 200 metres, making her one of the favourites for a gold in that event.

Betty Cuthbert first reached the finals of the 100 metres, setting an Olympic record of 11.4 seconds in her heat, while the Australian world record holder Shirley Strickland was eliminated.

Betty Cuthbert won the final and was then the big favourite for the 200 metres title.

Betty Cuthbert lived up to the expectations and became the Australian "Golden Girl".

Betty Cuthbert set a world record at 440 yards, which was broken in September 1959 by Maria Itkina of the Soviet Union.

Betty Cuthbert's retirement did not last long, though, for she returned at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia, helping Australia to a gold medal in the sprint relay.

Betty Cuthbert is the only Olympian, male or female, to have won a gold medal in all sprint events: 100,200 and 400 metres.

Betty Cuthbert subsequently verified her retirement for good after Tokyo.

Betty Cuthbert had multiple sclerosis from 1969 and in 2002 had a severe brain haemorrhage.

Betty Cuthbert felt compelled to publicly declare her faith in Jesus.

Betty Cuthbert did initially want to be healed of her MS, and someone encouraged her to go to church where she could be healed.

Betty Cuthbert claimed she went, looking for healing, instead of the Healer.

Betty Cuthbert was a tireless campaigner for national awareness of the disease, and, following her death in 2017, was credited by CEO of MS Research Australia, Dr Matthew Miles, as having had an incredible impact on Australia's recognition and understanding of MS.

In 1991, Betty Cuthbert left her home state, New South Wales, for Western Australia, where she settled in Mandurah.

Betty Cuthbert was one of the bearers of the Olympic Torch at the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Betty Cuthbert was the only Australian among the 10 inaugural inductees to the IAAF Hall of Fame in 2012.

Betty Cuthbert's funeral was held on 16 August 2017 in Mandurah and her body was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery.

Betty Cuthbert achieved 14 world records during her career comprising 10 individual and four relays.