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Gladys Lunn

Personal information
Nationality	British (English)
Born	1 June 1908 King's Norton, Worcestershire, England
Died	3 January 1988 (aged 79) Sandwell, Staffordshire, England
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event	800m/880y
Club	Birchfield Harriers
Medal record Representing  Great Britain Women's World Games 1930 Prague 800 metres 1934 London 800 metres Representing  England British Empire Games 1934 London 880 yards 1934 London Javelin throw 1938 Sydney Javelin throw

Gladys Anne Lunn (1 June 1908 – 3 January 1988) was an English track and field athlete from Birmingham, England who competed in the 1934 British Empire Games in the 1938 British Empire Games.

Biography

Lunn was a member of Birchfield Harriers athletics club.

At the 1934 Empire Games she won the gold medal in the 880 yards event as well as in the javelin throw competition, an unorthodox combination.

Four years later she won the bronze medal in the javelin throw event at the 1938 Empire Games. She also participated in the 220 yards contest but did not start in her semi-final heat.

She was the inaugural winner of the (unofficial) ladies race at the International Cross Country Championships. She was also twice a medallist in the 800 metres at the Women's World Games, taking gold in 1930 before returning for a bronze medal in 1934.

Nationally, she was a multiple champion at the Women's Amateur Athletic Association Championships. This included three consecutive national 880-yard titles in 1930, 1931 and 1932, the first ever national a mile champion title in 1936 and the following year in 1937, a 1937 javelin title and two cross country titles.

Lunn had two world records ratified by the International Women's Sports Federation (FSFI): 3:04.4 minutes for the 1000 m in 1931 and 3:00.6 minutes over the same distance in 1934. Four of her performances over the mile were later recognised as world best times.

References

1. "Birchfield Harriers Sporting Tales". Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
2. Commonwealth Games history. Athletics Weekly. Retrieved on 2015-04-03.
3. Commonwealth Games Medallist - Athletics (Women). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-04-03.
4. International Cross Country Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-04-03.
5. Women's World Games. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-04-03.
6. "Women Athletes". Liverpool Daily Post. 18 August 1930. Retrieved 23 January 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
7. WAAA Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-04-03.
8. "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
9. British World Record Breakers. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-04-03.

• commonwealthgames.com results
• Rootsweb entry

• 1908 births
• 1988 deaths
• Athletes from Birmingham, West Midlands
• English female sprinters
• British female sprinters
• English female middle-distance runners
• British female middle-distance runners
• English female javelin throwers
• British female javelin throwers
• Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England
• Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for England
• Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics
• Athletes (track and field) at the 1934 British Empire Games
• Athletes (track and field) at the 1938 British Empire Games
• International Cross Country Championships winners
• Women's World Games medalists
• Medallists at the 1934 British Empire Games
• Medallists at the 1938 British Empire Games
• 20th-century English sportswomen