10 Facts About Sylvia Potts

Sylvia Mildred Potts was a New Zealand middle-distance athlete who represented her country at two Commonwealth and one Olympic Games.

Sylvia Potts memorably fell two metres from the finish of the 1500 m final at the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh while leading the race.

Sylvia Potts then studied at the University of Otago, completing a Diploma of Physical Education in 1964.

Together they had three children, including Richard Sylvia Potts who represented New Zealand in athletics at the 1990 and 1994 Commonwealth Games.

Sylvia Potts ran her personal best for the 800 m, a national record time of 2:04.0, in winning the 1970 national championship.

Sylvia Potts represented New Zealand at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, where she finished sixth in the semi-finals of the 800 m with a time of 2:07.02.

At the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in 1970 Sylvia Potts competed in both the 800 m and 1500 m, reaching the final in both events.

Sylvia Potts finished fifth in the 800 m, but it is for her finish in the 1500 m that she is most remembered.

Sylvia Potts was given the honour of running the final leg of the Queen's Baton Relay at the opening of the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, running the baton carrying the Queen's message into the Queen Elizabeth II Park stadium and presenting it to the Duke of Edinburgh.

Sylvia Potts died in Hastings from cancer on 31 August 1999, and she was buried at Mangaroa Cemetery.