Pam Kilborn

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Medal record
Women's Athletics
Competitor for  Australia
Olympic Games
Bronze	1964 Tokyo	80 m hurdles
Silver	1968 Mexico City	80 m hurdles
British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Gold	1962 Perth	80 m hurdles
Gold	1962 Perth	Long jump
Gold	1966 Kingston	80 m hurdles
Gold	1966 Kingston	4 x 110 yd relay
Gold	1970 Edinburgh	100 m hurdles
Gold	1970 Edinburgh	4 x 100 m relay

Pamela Kilborn-Ryan, MBE (born August 12, 1939 in Melbourne) is a former Australian athlete who set world records as a hurdler. For three years, she was ranked as the world's top woman hurdler^[1].

Kilborn was also an Olympic class sprinter, Long Jumper and pentathlete, and won a total of 17 individal Australian Championships between 1962 and 1972^[2].

Contents 1 Early Career 2 International Career 3 Statistics 4 References

[edit] Early Career

Pam Kilborn began competing in athletics in Melbourne during the late 1950s. She competed for the University High School team, under coach Henri Schubert alongside her good friend Judy Amoore (later Pollock)^[3].

In 1960 she attempted to gain selection for the 1960 Summer Olympics but could only place third in the Australian Championships with only the first two athletes chosen. She was reputedly so ill during these Championships that she had to be assisted on the medal dais^[3].

During 1961 her performances at both hurdles and long jump had improved substantially and she was ranked #4^[1] and #10^[4] in the world, respectively, at the end of the year.

[edit] International Career

At the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Australia, Kilborn became one of the stars of the Games, upsetting world-record holder Betty Moore in the 80 m hurdles race before winning the long jump contest ahead of two countrywomen Helen Frith (silver) and Janet Knee (bronze)^[2].

Two years later, at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, she won the bronze medal behind Karin Balzer (gold) and Teresa Ciepły (silver) after having equalled the Olympic record in the semi final.

Soon after the Games, on 5 October 1964, she equalled the World Record for 80 m Hurdles, running 10.5 in Tokyo. On February 6, 1965 in Melbourne, she bettered her record with a 10.4 time^[5].

At the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica she won gold medals in 80 m hurdles and 4x110 yards relay^[2].

In 1967 she broke Christine Perera's unofficial 100 m hurdles world record of 13.7 seconds and improved it twice up to 13.3 seconds in 1969.

Having been undefeated since the 1964 Olympics, Kilborn was the favourite for the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. At the Games she was hampered by a shoulder injury^[6] and could not overcome her surprising teenage countrywoman Maureen Caird in the rain-affected final.

In 1970 the international hurdling distance was extended to 100 metres and, competing at the British Commonwealth Games, she beat Caird to take yet another gold medal. Her three successive golds was the most ever won by any athlete at the Commonwealth Games. Earlier in the Games she was chosen to carry the Australian standard in the Opening Ceremony; the first time a woman had been awarded this honour.^[7]

After a brief retirement, she returned to the track for one last Olympic campaign in 1972. She set a World Record of 12.5 (12.93 automatic timing) shortly before the 1972 Olympics in Munich, but could only run fourth in the Olympic final.

[edit] Statistics

National Records
Kilborn set multiple Australian records in seven different events^[7] during her career: 80 metre hurdles, 100 metres hurdles, 200 metres hurdles, Long Jump, Pentathlon, 4 x 200 metres relay, and 4 x 220 yards relay.

World Records^[5]

Over 80 metres hurdles, Kilborn set two official world records in 1964 and 1965.

In the 100 metres hurdles, she set one official world record at Warsaw on 28 June 1972.

At 200 m hurdles, Kilborn-Ryan set four official world records between 1969 and 1971, with a best of 25.7.

In team events, she set a world record for 4 x 220 yards relay of 1:35.8 in Brisbane on November 9, 1969, teaming with Raelene Boyle, Jenny Lamy and Marion Hoffman.

Personal Bests^[3]

Event	Time	Wind	Place	Date
100 m	11.50	+0.6	Mexico City, Australia	14 October 1968
80 m Hurdles	10.4	-	Melbourne, Australia	6 February 1965
100 m Hurdles	12.5	+0.9	Warsaw, Poland	28 June 1972
200 m Hurdles	25.7	-	Melbourne, Australia	25 November 1971
Long Jump	6.24m	-	Melbourne, Australia	21 May 1966

World Rankings - Hurdles^[1] and Long Jump^[4]

Year	Event	Ranking
1961	80m Hurdles	4
	Long Jump	10
1962	80m Hurdles	2
	Long Jump	9
1963	80m Hurdles	1
1964	80m Hurdles	3
1965	80m Hurdles	1
1966	80m Hurdles	1
1967	80m Hurdles	1
1968	80m Hurdles	2
1969	80m Hurdles	2
1970	100m Hurdles	4
1972	100m Hurdles	4

Australian Championships Record^[2] - prior to 1963 Championships were held every two years

Year	100yds/metres	80m Hurdles	100m Hurdles	200m Hurdles	Long Jump	Pentathlon
1960	-	3	-	-	-	-
1962	DNQ	5	-	-	1	-
1963	6	1	-	-	1	1
1964	6	1	-	-	1	-
1965	2	1	-	-	3	-
1966	6	1	-	-	2	-
1967	4	1	-	-	1	1
1968	2	1	1	-	2	1
1969	4	1	1	-	2	-
1970	5	-	2	2	-	-
1971	-	-	-	-	-	-
1972	5	2	1	-	-	-

[edit] References

Records
Preceded by Karin Balzer	Women's 100m Hurdles World Record Holder June 28, 1972 — August 13, 1972	Succeeded by Annelie Ehrhardt