Marjorie Jackson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Olympic medal record | |||
| Women's athletics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 1952 Helsinki | 100 metres | |
| Gold | 1952 Helsinki | 200 metres | |
Her Excellency Marjorie Jackson-Nelson, AC, CVO, MBE (born September 13, 1931) is the Governor of South Australia and a former Australian athlete.
Marjorie Jackson was born in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, and first gained fame when she defeated reigning Olympic 100 and 200 m champion Fanny Blankers-Koen a number of times in 1949, earning the nickname "the Lithgow Flash", after the New South Wales town of Lithgow, where she lived and was brought up in.
After having won four titles at the 1950 British Empire Games, Jackson came as a favourite to the Helsinki 1952 Summer Olympics. She won both the 100 m, in a then World Record equaling time of 11.5, and also the 200 m, winning the first Olympic athletics titles for Australia since Teddy Flack in 1896. Having more strong runners in the team, the Australian 4 x 100 m relay team was also a favourite for the gold, but a faulty exchange meant Jackson's chances for third gold medal were gone. Later in 1952, Jackson lowered the 100m World Record time to 11.4, running this new record in a meet at Gifu, Japan on October 4th, 1952.
In 1953 Jackson married Olympic cyclist Peter Nelson. After his death from leukaemia in 1977, she launched the Peter Nelson Leukaemia Research Fellowship.
Marjorie Jackson-Nelson was one of the eight flag-bearers of the Olympic Flag at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
On March 15, 2006, Marjorie Jackson-Nelson was one of the final four runners who carried the Queen's Baton around the MCG stadium during the 2006 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
In late 2001, Marjorie Jackson-Nelson was appointed as Governor of South Australia.
[edit] Honours
Marjorie was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire [MBE] in the 1953 Coronation Honours. She was made a Companion of the Order of Australia upon appointment as Governor in 2001. She was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in February 2002 during Queen Elizabeth II's visit to South Australia. She is also a Dame of the Order of St John of Jerusalem.
[edit] External links
- Biography at the Governor of South Australia website
- Peter Nelson Leukaemia Research Fellowship Fund
[edit] Sources
- Prentis, Malcolm. Great Australian Presbyterians: The Game. Uniting Church in Australia. Retrieved on March 7, 2007.
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Eric Neal |
Governor of South Australia 2001– |
Succeeded by (incumbent) |
| Olympic champions in women's 100 m |
|---|
| Betty Robinson | Stanisława Walasiewicz | Helen Stephens | 1948: Fanny Blankers-Koen | 1952: Marjorie Jackson | 1956: Betty Cuthbert | 1960: Wilma Rudolph | 1964: Wyomia Tyus | 1968: Wyomia Tyus | 1972: Renate Stecher | 1976: Annegret Richter | 1980: Lyudmila Kondratyeva | 1984: Evelyn Ashford | 1988: Florence Griffith-Joyner | 1992: Gail Devers | 1996: Gail Devers | 2000: Marion Jones | 2004: Yulia Nestsiarenka |
| Olympic champions in women's 200 m |
|---|
| 1948: Fanny Blankers-Koen | 1952: Marjorie Jackson | 1956: Betty Cuthbert | 1960: Wilma Rudolph | 1964: Edith McGuire | 1968: Irena Szewińska | 1972: Renate Stecher | 1976: Bärbel Eckert | 1980: Bärbel Eckert | 1984: Valerie Brisco-Hooks | 1988: Florence Griffith-Joyner | 1992 Gwen Torrence | 1996: Marie-José Pérec | 2000: Marion Jones | 2004: Veronica Campbell |
Categories: 1931 births | Living people | Australian athletes | Olympic competitors for Australia | Athletes at the 1952 Summer Olympics | Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order | Governors of South Australia | Members of the Order of the British Empire | Companions of the Order of Australia | People from South Australia | Australian Presbyterians | Sprinters | Olympic gold medalists for Australia
