THE man who helped bring the Olympics to London has paid tribute to sprinter Dorothy Hyman who was honoured with the surprise Special Award at this year’s Proud of Barnsley awards.
Lord Seb Coe, former chairman of the British Olympic Association and current president of the IAAF, said he was thrilled that the former European champion and two-time Olympian had been recognised by her hometown.
He said: “There has been many an athlete moulded in the foothills of Yorkshire that I should know, but there are certain names that shall always stand out as special, and Dorothy Hyman is undoubtedly one of those.
“Perhaps not instantly recognisable to the younger generations, Dorothy was the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year in 1963 and was without doubt the world’s number one sprinter at that time.
“She left an indelible mark on many an aspiring athlete, including this one.
“It’s incredible to think that before her early retirement, at the age of just 23, she had already won three Olympic medals, four European medals including a gold and four Commonwealth medals, three of which were gold.
“I am absolutely thrilled to learn that Dorothy is being rightly recognised by her local community and can think of no better person for this honour to be bestowed upon.
“I will always remember fondly running through Sheffield with the Olympic torch ahead of London 2012 and I know that Dorothy did so too, just a few miles from her Barnsley home, in what will have been an incredibly special moment for her and her family.
“I hope this award is equally special and I hope that the whole of Barnsley is indeed proud of Dorothy and her remarkable achievements.”
Proud of Barnsley special: See pages 16 and 17 of this week's Barnsley Chronicle.
