Glynis Nunn

MedalGold| Los Angeles 1984 | Heptathlon ;

Glynis Nunn OAM (born December 4, 1960) is a former Australian heptathlete, the first Olympic champion in the event. Born Glynis Leanne Saunders in Toowoomba, Queensland, she began competing in athletics at age 9, when she was a student at Toowoomba South State School.

She starred in several events, and was thus a natural competitor in the pentathlon (which was replaced by the heptathlon in 1981). In 1978, she qualified for the Commonwealth Games, but couldn't compete because of an injury.

By the time of the next Commonwealth Games (1982), she had married Chris Nunn (a decathlete). In the first heptathlon competition at the Games, she upset the English favourite and took the title. At the inaugural World Championships a year later, she was placed 7th.

Because of the East Bloc boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics, Nunn was one of the medal candidates for the Olympic title, too. The competition was incredibly close, with five athletes fighting for the medals. After the competition, there was confusion about who had won, but when the smoke cleared, Nunn had scored 6390 points, five more than runner-up Jackie Joyner-Kersee. In addition to her gold medal, Nunn was also placed fifth in the 100 m hurdles event, and seventh in the long jump.

After the Olympics, Nunn abandoned the heptathlon, and switched to hurdling. She was hampered by many injuries, but managed to win a bronze medal in the high hurdles event at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. She quit sports in 1990.

References

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* [http://www.athletics.com.au/history/athletes/athlete72.htm Profile]