Anita Neil facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | British (English) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 5 April 1950 Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England |
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| Height | 163 cm | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 55 kg | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Sprinting | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | London Olympiades | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Anita Neil, born on April 5, 1950, is a famous British sprinter who is now retired. She made history in 1968 as the first Black British woman to compete in the Olympic Games.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Anita was born in Wellingborough, England. Her mother, Florence, raised Anita and her four siblings. Anita's father was an American soldier who met her mother during World War II. He left when Anita was six years old. Her grandparents also helped the family.
Training and Challenges
Anita worked in a clothing factory as a machinist. She trained for her sport in her free time. Her family did not have much money. Because of this, Anita often needed help from charities. This help allowed her to travel to competitions and get the right sports gear.
A Career in Sprinting
Anita Neil was best known as a sprinter. However, her first competition for Great Britain was in the long jump in 1966. She also competed for Great Britain in the European Cup in 1967.
Breaking Records
At a national competition in Portsmouth, Anita won the 100 yards race. She even broke the national record with a time of 10.6 seconds. At the same event, her 4 x 110m relay team set a new World Record. Anita was invited to Buckingham Palace, where she met the famous footballer George Best.
Olympic Dreams
In 1968, Anita finished second in the 100 metres at the WAAA Championships. Soon after, she represented Great Britain at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. She competed in the 100 metres and the 4 × 100 metres relay. She reached the second round in the 100 metres and finished seventh in the relay final. Her hero, Mary Rand, encouraged her. Anita joined the London Olympiades athletics club. She is seen as a pioneer for Black British female Olympic athletes.
European and Commonwealth Success
In 1969, Anita competed at the European Athletics Championships in Athens. She won two bronze medals there. One was for the 100 metres race, and the other was for the 4 x 100-metres relay.
The next year, in 1970, Anita became the national 100 metres champion. She won the British WAAA Championships title. The following month, she represented England at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. There, she won a silver medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay.
Anita competed in the Olympic Games for a second time in 1972. She represented Great Britain at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. She again made it to the second round in the 100 metres and reached the final in the relay.
Life After Athletics
Anita Neil retired from athletics at just 23 years old. She did not have a coach, and there were not enough good training places. She also needed to earn money to support her family.
Community Involvement
Anita still lives in Wellingborough and takes part in local events. In 2012, she was a special guest at the opening of the Wellingborough Museum's exhibition about the Olympic Games. A picture of her hangs in the museum. In 2014, she was also a guest of honour at the opening of Knights Court in Wellingborough.
In 2024, Anita Neil was given the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award. This award recognized her great contributions to athletics.
See also
In Spanish: Anita Neil para niños
