Clara Decima Hamilton, MBE was an Australian athlete.
13 Facts About Decima Norman
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2.
Decima Norman was the only Australian woman who won five gold medals at the 1938 British Empire Games.
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Decima Norman was born on 9 September 1909 in Tammin, Western Australia.
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Decima Norman's parents died when she was young, and she was adopted by her brother and his wife, who lived in Perth.
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Decima Norman participated in several sports at school, and was named champion athlete at Perth College in 1923.
6.
Decima Norman's improving times, and several victories in the WA state titles, prompted Preston to consider her to represent Australia in the 1934 Empire Games to be held in London.
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Decima Norman was the first Australian to win a gold medal in Sydney, with an 11.1 second time in the 100-yard sprint.
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Decima Norman followed this up with a win in the final leg of the 440-yard medley relay, an Empire record-breaking long jump, the 220-yard sprint, and the 660-yard relay.
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Decima Norman established herself as the premier athlete of the event, Australia's first athletics 'golden girl'.
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Decima Norman remained in Sydney, to begin training for the next Olympics, however her further athletic ambitions were blunted, when the 1940 Olympics were cancelled due to World War II.
11.
Decima Norman last competed at the 1940 National Championships in Perth.
12.
Decima Norman was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1983 New Year Honours, and was the custodian of the Commonwealth Games Baton in the same year, flying the Queen's Baton from London to the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane.
13.
Decima Norman died of cancer in Albany, Western Australia on 29 August 1983.