Arnold’s Archive: Introducing the Extraordinary Mrs Chrimes

Sunday 1st November 2020

Photo by Gary Mitchell

Rosemary Chrimes turned 87 years old this year. She has not competed this year. She did compete in 2019 though, when she set four British Masters’ records.

Rosemary now holds 19 British outdoor Masters’ records and seven indoor records. She holds 10 age records in the discus starting in the W35 group and finishing, for the time being, with the W85 records, only missing out in the W50 class. She is the World record holder for the W70 Shot and the W80 High Jump.

Given the length of her career, it seems daft to say the Kelso-born Rosemary came late to athletics, but the first references found for her are as a versatile all-round athlete at Edinburgh University, showing prowess in the hurdles and jumps as well as the throws.

The throws became her true love, however, and she was to represent Scotland on no fewer than four occasions at the Commonwealth Games – from 1958 through to 1974 (missing out in 1962).

The highlight was a discus gold in Edinburgh on the opening day of the 1970 Games.

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