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Eleanor (Haslam) Jensen |
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Following a strong showing in high school competition, Eleanor became one of Canada’s top female sprinters. From 1956 to 1960, she starred at provincial, Canadian, and international meets. Only 17 years old, she was a member of Canada’s Olympic Track team that competed in Melbourne, Australia in 1956. In 1957, Eleanor was rated as Canada’s best female sprinter in the 60 and 100 yard sprints and second in the 220 yards. In 1958, when the British Empire Games trials were held in Saskatoon, she won three Canadian events, the 100 and 220 yard sprints and also anchored the winning 440 relay team. At the B. E. Games in Cardiff, Wales, Eleanor picked up a bronze medal in the 200 metres. At her second Olympics in 1960 in Rome, she moved up to the 800 metre event, and was one of several women who broke the old Olympic mark of two minutes 16.8 seconds. The 800 metre run had not been contested in 32 years. That same year, she set a world indoor record for the 60 yard sprint of 6.6 seconds. A member of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame since 1974. |
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