Queensland’s first Olympic gold medallist Norma Crocker has died

Queensland’s first Olympic gold medallist, part of the “golden era” of Australia’s track and field, has died.

QUEENSLAND has lost its first Olympic gold medallist, sprinter Norma Fleming (nee Croker), who died in Brisbane yesterday at the age of 84.

Coming from the golden era of Australian female sprinters, Croker won gold in the 4x100m relay in Melbourne with teammates Betty Cuthbert, Shirley Strickland and Fleur Mellor, the AOC said in a statement.

The team set a new world record in their heat of 44.9sec and broke the mark again in beating Great Britain in the final in a time of 44.5sec.

The relay victory, with Crocker running the second leg, also propelled Betty Cuthbert into the record books as the first Australian to win three gold medals at a single Olympic Games, while Shirley Strickland became the first Australian to win seven medals in Olympic competition.

Croker also finished 4th in the 200m final in Melbourne.

Marlene Matthews and Norma Croker practise their baton changing leading up to the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games.

She went on to compete at the Rome Olympic Games now as married Norma Fleming in 1960 where she finished 15th in the long jump, just missed qualifying for the 200m by one place and 0.1 seconds. The relay team was disqualified in its heat.

AOC President John Coates said Norma Croker was a shining example during a magical period in Australian track and field.

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“Norma was greatly admired by her teammates and that relay team in Melbourne was quite extraordinary. She was modest and quite in awe of her team-mates, having been inspired by Shirley Strickland as a young sprinter.

“It was a different time, with Norma a devoted schoolteacher and mother beyond her short sprinting career.

Norma Croker (left) and fellow 1956 relay gold medallists Fleur Mellor (second from left) and Shirley Strickland congratulate Courier-Mail Sportswoman of the Year 2002 Kerrie Meares (centre) and emerging sportswoman scholarship winner Anna Meares.

“She also took the time and trouble to take her stories and her medal around Queensland schools to inspire young people to be their best.”

“Norma will be missed by so many of her friends and teammates from that wonderful era.”

Teammate Marlene Mathews paid tribute to the runner’s fighting spirit.

“She was a fighter. She never gave in. It really is a true story that Norma’s husband Lloyd promised he’d marry her, if she beat me in the Olympic selection trials ahead of the Melbourne Games. And, of course she did and they married.

“I remember Norma as a happy go lucky person and such a great friend”.