Beverley Goddard facts for kids

Beverley Lanita Callender (born Goddard on 28 August 1956) is a former English track and field sprinter. She represented Great Britain at three Olympic Games: Montreal 1976, Moscow 1980, and Los Angeles 1984. She won two bronze medals in the 4 x 100 metres relay at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics. Beverley was also the 100 metres champion at the 1981 World Student Games.

Her Athletics Journey

Beverley Goddard was born in Barbados but grew up in England. She was a member of the Reading Athletic Club. In 1976, she competed at the Montreal Olympics. She reached the quarter-finals in the 200 metres race. Jim Spooner was her coach.

In 1978, Beverley competed at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton. She finished fourth in the 200 metres final. However, she won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay. Her teammates were Kathy Smallwood, Sharon Colyear, and Sonia Lannaman. Later that year, at the European Championships in Prague, the same relay team won a silver medal.

In 1979, she won three medals at the World Student Games (Universiade). She earned bronze medals in both the 100 and 200 metres races. She also won a silver medal in the sprint relay. In the 100 metres, she ran her fastest time ever, 11.22 seconds, during the semi-final.

At the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, Beverley reached the 200 metres final. She finished sixth, setting her personal best time of 22.72 seconds. She then joined Heather Hunte, Kathy Smallwood, and Sonia Lannaman. Together, they won a bronze medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay. Their time of 42.43 seconds was a UK record that lasted until 2014.

Her biggest individual win came in 1981. She won the 100 metres title at the World Student Games in Bucharest. She also won a silver medal in the relay at the same event.

In 1982, Beverley competed as Beverley Callender. She reached the 200 metres finals at the European Championships in Athens and the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane. She finished fifth in Athens and sixth in Brisbane. In Athens, she won a relay silver medal with Wendy Hoyte, Kathy Smallwood, and Shirley Thomas. In Brisbane, she won relay gold with Hoyte, Smallwood, and Sonia Lannaman.

A year later, in 1983, she won a relay silver medal. This was at the very first World Championships in Helsinki. Her teammates were Joan Baptiste, Kathy Cook (formerly Smallwood), and Shirley Thomas. She also ran in the 100 metres race. At her third Olympic Games in Los Angeles 1984, she won her second Olympic bronze medal. She teamed up again with Heather Oakes (formerly Hunte) and Kathy Cook. Simmone Jacobs was the fourth member of the team.

From 1978 to 1984, the British or English women's sprint relay teams were very successful. They won a medal at every Olympic, World, European, and Commonwealth competition. Beverley Callender and Kathy Cook were part of every one of those medal-winning teams. Beverley often ran the third leg of the relay. This amazing streak of relay medals ended in 1984. It wasn't until 2013 that the British women's 4 × 100 metres squad won another medal at the World Championships.

Beverley won the UK Championships 200 metres title in 1982. As of 2022, her fastest 200 metres time ranks her 14th on the UK all-time list. In the 100 metres, she ranks 21st. Beverley Callender is now a retired teacher.

Fastest Times

• 100 metres – 11.22 seconds (1979)
• 200 metres – 22.72 seconds (1980)
• 4×100 metres relay – 42.43 seconds (1980) - this was a former British national record

National Titles

• UK Athletics Championships
  • 200 metres: 1982

See also

In Spanish: Beverley Callender para niños