Beverley Goddard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Beverley Callender
née Goddard

Personal information
Nationality	British/Barbadian
Born	28 August 1956 Barbados
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Sprints
Club	Reading Athletic Club
Medal record Representing  Great Britain Women's Athletics Olympic Games Bronze 1980 Moscow 4 x 100 m Bronze 1984 Los Angeles 4 x 100 m World Championships Silver 1983 Helsinki 4 x 100 m European Championships Silver 1978 Prague 4 x 100 m Silver 1982 Athens 4 x 100 m Universiade Gold 1981 Bucharest 100 m Silver 1979 Mexico City 4 x 100 m Silver 1981 Bucharest 4 x 100 m Bronze 1979 Mexico City 100 m Bronze 1979 Mexico City 200 m Representing  England Commonwealth Games Gold 1978 Edmonton 4 x 100 m Gold 1982 Brisbane 4 x 100 m

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

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Beverley Goddard was born in Barbados. She grew up in England and joined the Reading Athletic Club. In 1976, she competed in her first Olympic Games in Montreal. She reached the quarter-finals of the 200 metres race. Jim Spooner was her coach.

Winning Medals in the 1970s

In 1978, Beverley showed her talent at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton. She finished fourth in the 200 metres final. Later, she won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay. Her teammates were Kathy Smallwood, Sharon Colyear, and Sonia Lannaman.

At the European Championships in Prague that same year, the relay team won a silver medal. They finished second behind the Soviet Union. In 1979, Beverley won three medals at the World Student Games (Universiade). She earned bronze medals in both the 100 metres and 200 metres. She also won a silver medal in the sprint relay. During the 100 metres semi-final, she ran her fastest time ever: 11.22 seconds.

Olympic Success in the 1980s

At the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, Beverley had a great performance. She was one of three British women to reach the 200 metres final. She finished sixth with her personal best time of 22.72 seconds.

After the individual races, Beverley teamed up with Heather Hunte, Kathy Smallwood, and Sonia Lannaman. They won a bronze medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay. Their time of 42.43 seconds was a new UK record. This record stood for many years until 2014.

In 1981, Beverley achieved her biggest individual win. She became the 100 metres champion at the World Student Games. She beat top Soviet sprinters Olga Zolotaryeva and Olga Nasonova. She also won another silver medal in the relay at this event.

Continued Relay Triumphs

By 1982, Beverley was competing as Beverley Callender. She continued to excel in the 200 metres. She reached the finals at both the European Championships in Athens and the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane. She finished fifth and sixth in these races.

In Prague, she won another relay silver medal with Wendy Hoyte, Kathy Smallwood, and Shirley Thomas. In Brisbane, she won relay gold with Wendy Hoyte, Kathy Smallwood, and Sonia Lannaman. A year later, in 1983, she won a silver medal in the relay at the first-ever World Championships in Helsinki. Her teammates were Joan Baptiste, Kathy Cook (formerly Smallwood), and Shirley Thomas.

At her third Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984, Beverley won her second Olympic bronze medal. She reunited with two of her teammates from Moscow: Heather Oakes (formerly Hunte) and Kathy Cook. Simmone Jacobs was the fourth member of this successful team.

From 1978 to 1984, the British or English women's sprint relay teams consistently won medals. They earned a medal at every Olympic, World, European, and Commonwealth competition. Beverley Callender and Kathy Cook were part of every single one of these medal-winning teams. Beverley often ran the third leg of the relay, becoming a specialist in that position.

Personal Bests and Achievements

Beverley Callender set impressive personal best times during her career:

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

She also won a national title:

• UK Athletics Championships
  • 200 metres: 1982

As of 2022, Beverley Callender's 200 metres best time ranks her 14th on the UK all-time list. In the 100 metres, she ranks 21st. After her athletics career, Beverley became a retired teacher.

International Competitions Summary

Representing  Great Britain

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Result	Notes
1976	Olympic Games	Montreal, Canada	quarterfinal	200 m	23.74
1978	European Championships	Prague, Czechoslovakia	semifinal	200 m	23.37
			2nd	4 × 100 m	42.72
	Commonwealth Games	Edmonton, Canada	5th	100 m	11.40
			4th	200 m	22.95
			1st	4 × 100 m	43.70
1979	World Student Games	Mexico City, Mexico	3rd	100 m	11.32
			3rd	200 m	22.76
			2nd	4 × 100 m	43.26
1980	Olympic Games	Moscow, Russia	6th	200 m	22.72
			3rd	4 × 100 m	42.43
1981	World Student Games	Bucharest, Romania	1st	100 m	11.35
			2nd	4 × 100 m	43.86
	World Cup	Rome, Italy	—	4 × 100 m	DNF
1982	European Championships	Athens, Greece	5th	200 m	22.91
			2nd	4 × 100 m	42.66
	Commonwealth Games	Brisbane, Australia	6th	200 m	22.92
			1st	4 × 100 m	43.15
1983	World Championships	Helsinki, Finland	quarter-final	100 m	11.48
			2nd	4 × 100 m	42.71
1984	Olympic Games	Los Angeles, United States	3rd	4 × 100 m	43.11

See also

In Spanish: Beverley Callender para niños