Dame Mary Peters
by Radiyah Shakur
Born
in Liverpool, Mary Peters moved at age 11 with her
parents to Northern Ireland, which she regards as home.
Through much hard work, training and determination,
Peters won a gold medal and world record in the pentathlon
at the Munich Olympics in 1972.
 Preceding her career
victory she competed internationally in pentathlon
and the shot: coming fourth in the Olympics in 1964;
second in shot at the Commonwealth Games in 1966; and
first in the Commonwealth pentathlon in 1970 and 1974.
Since retiring from track and field, Mary Peters has
dedicated herself and her time to serving various organisations,
including national and community sport; charitable and
community causes; and broadcasting and the press. She
set up a fund in Northern Ireland to resurface the Belfast
cinder Track, since renamed the Mary Peters Track.
Peters has continued to serve Northern Ireland and British
athletics. She’s been the team manager for the
British women’s team at the Moscow and Los Angeles
Games, has served as President, Chairperson or member,
of many sports associations including the Northern Ireland
Paraplegic Association. She also serves on the Northern
Ireland Committee on Sport for the Disabled, the Ulster
Sports and Recreation Trust, the Northern Ireland Sports
Council, the Sports Council of Great Britain, the Belfast
1991 Sports Committee, the Sports Aid Foundation and
the British Athletics Federation. She was a member of
the Women’s Committee of the International Amateur
Athletics Federation from1995-1999; was President of
the British Athletics Federation from1996-1998; and was
Patron of the Northern Ireland Amateur Athletic Federation.
Her work for charities has also raised £300,000.
She remains an important ambassador for Northern Ireland.
Her commitment to charitable work and dedication to helping
others has won her various honours and awards, including
the BBC Sports Personality Award, entry into the Belfast
Telegraph and Irish Post Halls of Fame, as well as several
honorary doctorate degrees. Mary Peters was awarded the
DBE in 2000, and served as Deputy Lieutenant of Belfast
in 2004.
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