Anita Neil
British sprinter (born 1950)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Doris Anita Neil (born 5 April 1950) is a retired British international sprinter. In 1968, she became the first black British woman Olympian at the 1968 Summer Olympics.[2]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | British (English) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 5 April 1950 Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 163 cm (5 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 55 kg (121 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Event | Sprinting | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | London Olympiades | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Early life
Neil was born in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire,[3] to an African-American father and a white English mother. Neil’s father was a staff sergeant with the United States Army stationed in Wellingborough during World War II, where he met her mother, Florence, a local woman.[4] Neil's father, who travelled back and forth between the US and England, left when she was six. In his absence Neil's mother raised their five children single-handed with the support of Neil's grandparents.[5]
Career
Neil worked as a machinist in a clothing factory and trained in her spare time. From an impoverished family Neil was forced to rely on charity to travel to competitions and obtain equipment.[2]
Known primarily as a sprinter, Neil's first competition for Great Britain was in the long jump in 1966.[6] She competed for Great Britain in the 1967 European Cup.
At a national competition in Portsmouth, she won the 100 yards and broke the national record (10.6 seconds). At the same meet she was part of the 4 x 110m relay team who set a World Record. Neil was invited to Buckingham Palace which she remembered because she met George Best.[5]
Neil finished second behind Val Peat in the 100 metres event at the 1968 WAAA Championships.[7] Shortly afterwards at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, she represented Great Britain in the 100 metres competition, where she was eliminated in the second quarter final and the 4 × 100 metres relay, finishing seventh in the final.[3] She was encouraged by her hero Mary Rand and she became a member of the women's athletics club London Olympiades and is considered 'a pioneer in the first generation of Black British female Olympic Athletes'.[3][8]:319
In 1969, she competed at the European Athletics Championships in Athens,[3] where she won bronze medals in the 100 metres as well as in 4 x 100-metres relay.[8]:205
Neil became the national 100 metres champion after winning the British WAAA Championships title at the 1970 WAAA Championships[9] and the following month, Neil represented England at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh and won a silver medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay.[3][10]
Neil represented Great Britain at the Olympic Games for a second time at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.[11] Again she progressed to the second round in the 100 metres and to the final in the relay.
Later life
Eventually the lack of a coach, insufficient training facilities, and having to support her family financially saw Neil forced into early retirement at just 23 years old.[2][5]
Neil continues to live in Wellingborough and has participated in local events.[12] In 2012, she was a guest of honour at the opening of the Wellingborough Museum's exhibition on the Olympic Games. A portrait of her hangs in the museum.[13] She also served as guest of honour at the official opening of the Knights Court in Wellingborough in 2014.[14]
Neil was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 Birthday Honours for services to athletics.[15]
