Betty Robinson (born Elizabeth Robinson, later Elizabeth Schwartz, 1911 to 1999) was an American sprinter from Riverdale, Illinois, who won the first Olympic 100 metres for women at the 1928 Amsterdam Games, equalling the world record of 12.2 seconds. Women's athletics had not been on the Olympic programme before, so she was the inaugural champion in the event and remains the youngest winner of Olympic 100 metres gold. She added a silver medal with the American 4 x 100 metres relay team. Her teacher Charles Price first noticed her running for a train. A plane crash in 1931 left her badly injured and unable to race for years, so she missed the 1932 Games, but she returned as part of the United States 4 x 100 metres relay team at the 1936 Olympics.
Facts
Classification
Competition Category Connections
Competed In
Source Betty Robinson (Wikipedia)
Plays
Source Olympedia: Betty Robinson - Olympedia
In the Other Atlases
Nationality
Also in Geography Atlas: the nationality of this subject.
Sources
1. Olympedia: Betty Robinson - Olympedia
OlympediaBiographyQuote, Biography
At the Trials she finished second to Elta Cartwright and at the Olympics, which was only the fourth meet at which she had ever competed, she beat the highly favored Canadians to take the 100m title and become America’s first woman track & field champion.
View the Source 2. Betty Robinson (Wikipedia)
Lead
Elizabeth R. Schwartz (née Robinson; August 23, 1911
Competed In: Olympic Games, Article text
Elizabeth R. Schwartz (née Robinson; August 23, 1911, May 18, 1999) was an American athlete and winner of the first Olympic 100 metres for women.
View the SourceReader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.