Dame Mary Alison Glen-Haig, was a British fencer who competed in four Olympic games in 1948,1952,1956 and 1960.
15 Facts About Mary Glen-Haig
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Mary Glen-Haig was born in London, the daughter of William James, a fencer at the 1908 London Olympics.
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Mary Glen-Haig began competing professionally in 1937 and continued until 1960, during which time she won two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and competed in four Olympics in the women's individual foil events.
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Mary Glen-Haig was one of the first female members of the International Olympic Committee in 1982 and was created a dame in 1993.
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Mary Glen-Haig's father, William James, was a competitor in fencing at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.
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Mary Glen-Haig began participating in regional and world championships in 1937 and continued to be active in these tournaments until 1959.
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The night before she was due to compete, Glen-Haig slept on a camp bed in a room with two other women.
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William James 8.
Mary Glen-Haig competed in the same event in at the 1952,1956 and 1960 Summer Olympics, as well as in the Women's Foil, Team in 1960, but never again reached the finals.
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Mary Glen-Haig claimed to have never worried whether or not she actually won a medal.
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Mary Glen-Haig won gold medals in the fencing competition in both 1950 and 1954 and she represented England and won a bronze medal in the individual foil at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales.
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Mary Glen-Haig eventually moved to West Kensington, London, where she worked at a hospital as district administrator from 1974 until 1982, the year that she was made one of the first female members of the International Olympic Committee.
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Mary Glen-Haig was Chairman of the Central Council of Physical Recreation during the 1970s.
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Mary Glen-Haig was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1971 Queen's Birthday Honours, promoted to Commander in the 1977 New Year Honours, and Dame Commander in the 1993 New Year Honours.
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Mary Glen-Haig served as the ambassador from Britain to the 2012 Summer Olympics, which was held in London.
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Mary Glen-Haig died at the age of 96 on 15 November 2014.