Jenny Ruth quiz

[smouse]

Leeds cyclist who won 7 titles?

[sire]

Beryl Burton

[08012006]

For your interest:

Beryl Burton is one of the UK�s greatest ever sports persons. She was born on May 12, 1937 and died as she had lived, on her bike, suffering from heart failure whilst out training on 8 May 1996.

Beryl won the women's world road race championship in 1960 and 1967, (also taking the silver medal in 1961) and was the main contender on many other occasions only to be beaten in the final sprint. This usually occurred because the race distances thought suitable for women were too short for her �go to the front and make them suffer� tactics to be effective. She also won the women's world pursuit title in 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963 and 1966 also taking the silver medal in 1961, 1964 and 1968 and the bronze in 1967, 1970 and 1973.

In addition to her 15 world championship medals she won the U.K.�s women's best all rounder competition (The B.B.A.R) for 25 consecutive years between 1959 and 1983. In 1967 she famously set a new 12 hour time trial record of 277.25 miles, a time that beat the existing men's record by 5.75 miles and saw Beryl catching the men�s record holder (Mike McNamara) before the finish, handing him a liquorice allsort as she passed!

Beryl did get some official recognition for her lifetime of sporting achievement being awarded both an MBE in 1964 and an OBE in 1968. A Beryl Burton memorial garden has also been established in her home town of Morley in West Yorkshire.