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Mary Peters (Athlete)

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Athlete

The Resume

    (July 6, 1939- )
    Born in Halewood, England, United Kingdom
    Grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland
    Pentathlete and shot putter
    Won a gold medal in pentathlon at the Summer Olympics in Munich (1972)
    At the Commonwealth Games, won two gold medals in pentathlon (1970,1974) and one gold medal in shot put (1970)
    BBC Sports Personality of the Year (1972)
    Named a Dame Commander of the British Empire (2000)

Why she might be annoying:

    She said about her early career, 'I'd always had the fear that if I was successful, people would be jealous and their attitude to me would change. I never felt I really gave 100%.'
    Because she did not have a car, she had to carry her shot put and starting blocks on two buses to reach the track at Queen's University.
    She said, 'Its really special to have a world record that will always stand.' (Her pentathlon record became permanent because in 1974 two events were added to the competition, creating the heptathlon.)

Why she might not be annoying:

    In winning Olympic gold, she set personal bests in four of the five events and established a world record.
    After her victory, a death threat was phoned to the BBC: 'Mary Peters is a protestant and has won a medal for Britain. An attempt will be made on her life and it will be blamed on the IRA.'
    He response: 'Bollocks. I'm going straight to Belfast.'
    She turned down job offers from the US and Australia, saying 'I wouldn't have been happy. My life is the Northern Ireland people.'
    She was named Lord Lieutenant of the City of Belfast (2009).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 17 Votes: 35.29% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying