Brenda Carr

1936 –

Thirty-two years after the 800m for women was last held at the Olympic Games, Brenda Jones (Carr), somewhat unexpectedly, won the silver medal behind Lyudmyla Shevtsova of the USSR in the event's return to the Olympic fold at Rome 1960. Jones finished a mere 0.1 seconds behind the winner's world record-equalling time after entering the race as the second-ranked Australian behind Dixie Willis. Willis was leading the final with well under a lap to go when she withdrew from the race leaving Jones as the front-runner who was only passed by the eventual winner in the final strides.