Marilyn Black

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Olympic medal record
Women's Athletics
Bronze 1964 Tokyo 200 metres

Marilyn Mary Black (born May 20, 1944 in New South Wales, Australia) is a former Australian sprinter, who after her marriage became known as Marilyn Vassella. Black was educated at Fort Street High School in Sydney.

Black first received attention at the age of seventeen, when she won the 100 yards race in the New South Wales championships. In 1963 she won the 4 x 100 yards event with the NSW relay team. At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo she won the bronze medal in the 200 metres event.

Regarded by some as the 'weak link' of the relay squad, the twenty year-old improved through 1964 and made the finals of the 100m and 200m in the Tokyo Olympics, winning a bronze medal in the latter event. She retired soon after the Games to marry Australian 400m runner Peter Vassella.

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