Dorothy Hyman was born on 9 May 1941 and grew up in a terraced house in Cudworth. The second of four children, she had two sisters and two brothers, her father was a coal miner. After running in a sports day event in junior school, her father noticed Dorothy had a talent for sprinting and began suggesting runs around the local parks. From the age of 13 she officially started training with friends around Oakwell on a Sunday, which led to competing in local racers. Later joining a junior group in Thurnscoe, training twice a week after travelling on two buses to get there. At 15 she was invited to train at Shropshire to learn more about circuit training, becoming an international sprinter at 16. In this article Tracey Hebron (Collections Clerk) provides a snapshot of Dorothy’s career.
Olympic Champion
At 17 Dorothy competed in the England women’s relay team, running the second 110-yard leg of the four-woman relay at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, winning her first Gold medal. Dorothy told the Barnsley Chronicle “It was a big adventure and it started my whole career. It was the first time I had been away without my dad so it was a bit daunting. I was always nervous, but this was probably the least nervous I ever got because I was so young and didn’t really appreciate what I was doing. I just went and did it, I didn’t really think about it.” Just a month later Dorothy was part of the Great Britain relay team which won the silver medal at the European Championships in Sweden.
At 19 Dorothy competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and later the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the 100 meter, 200 meter and 4 × 100 meter events winning three medals. As well as individual 100 meter gold and 200 meter silver at the 1962 European Championships in Belgrade. Plus the 100 yd/220 yd sprint double at the 1962 Commonwealth Games. When returning home to Barnsley after an event Dorothy would be met by friends and neighbours who would throw a street party with bunting and present gifts. When speaking with Steven Skelley, Barnsley Museums Heritage curator, Dorothy remembered the support of the locals saying “Everyone seemed to know me in Cudworth. The fish man said his fish and chips made me run fast and the grocer said it was his fruit and veg!”.
BBC Sports Personality of The Year, 1963
In 1963 Dorothy won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, that recognised her incredible achievements, this was at a time when the general public voted for a winner by filling out a voting slip that came with the radio times. Her success made Dorothy one of the biggest names in women’s sprinting.
In 2018, the people of Barnsley learnt that she was the only person to have won the Sports Personality of the Year not to have received a replica of the trophy after their win, so a campaign begun, and Dorothy was finally presented with a trophy to keep 55 years after her original win.
Retiring aged just 23, she wrote an autobiography called Sprint to Fame and moved into coaching, setting up the Dorothy Hyman Track Club. Later telling local reporters “I felt at the time it was right to retire and I still feel it was now. I just knew it was right to move on. I had a good career.” In 1965 Dorothy was awarded an MBE which was presented by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
On her return from the Olympics in 1964 The Barnsley Chronicle reported at the time that Dorothy had already decided to retire after “seven glorious years on the international scene” she did later admit to having a few regrets about retiring but the profits from her autobiography in 1965 had already ruled her out of making a return.
Life After Racing
Life after competing lead to work in a factory, then 30 years at the National Coal Board as a ‘tracer’ drawing plans at Woolley Colliery before work at a day care centre and retiring.
The Dorothy Hyman Stadium
After five years in the making the Dorothy Hyman Sports Centre officially opened in Cudworth on Saturday 2 June 1973. Obviously Dorothy was at the opening event which coincided with the Women’s A.A.A Championships
“A proud day for Cudworth” was the headline in The Barnsley Chronicle the week that the sports centre opened. in the opening event at the stadium there was local success for fifteen year old Julie Goldthorpe from Shafton who won the 100 metres event at the Northern Counties A.A.A Championships.
In September 2021 a blue plaque was unveiled in honour of Dorothy Hyman.
In 2022 Dorothy gave a rare interview with Sky News about her Olympic success.
Around the same time Dorothy shared her memories with our Community Heritage Curator, Steven Skelley. Our podcast has highlights from their chat and you can also listen to the complete interview on our Soundcloud page
Dorothy Donates To Barnsley Museums
In 2022 Dorothy kindly donated a number of items to the collections here at Barnsley Museums some of which are on display in the Chamber of Treasures are of Experience Barnsley.
A sleeveless white T-shirt with a logo in the centre of the chest that reads “Olympic Games 1960 Great Britain” and features a union jack flag. A red, white and blue strip runs around the centre of the waist. Dorothy Hyman wore this t-shirt when competing in the Olympic Games in Rome, Italy in 1960 where she came 2nd in the 100 meters, 3rd in the 200 meters and 6th in the 4 x 100 meters race.
A square cream fabric badge featuring the Union Jack in the centre. Text reads ” Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1960″
A black and white photograph of the three winners of the ladies 200 metres final in Rome 1960. Gold medal for Wilma Rudolph, Left is Dorothy Hyman who came third for the bronze medal. The second went to Jutta Heine of Germany.
Other items in the collection include, a white vest worn at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. A London Olympic 2012 long sleeved Tracksuit and the England Athletics, Hall of Fame, Class of 2011 framed presentation as well as various badges and photos.
Another of the photographs Dorothy donated to us is from the Olympic torch relay which came to Barnsley on 24 June 2012, to the right of her is Dave Allemby who also ran with the torch, hear his memories from the day in this episode of the Barnsley Museums podcast
Further Reading
If you enjoyed this blog why not take a read of our other sports based articles?
Barnsley Museums Blogsite 