View source for Mary Peters (athlete)

{{short description|British athlete (born 1939)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| honorific-prefix = 
| name             = Lady Mary Peters
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|LG|CH|DBE}}
| image            = MARY PETERS 1 WEB.jpg
| image_size       = 
| caption          = Peters in 2008
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| birth_name       =
| fullname         = Mary Elizabeth Peters
| nickname         =
| nationality      = British
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| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|1939|7|6|df=y}}
| birth_place      = [[Halewood]], [[Liverpool]], England
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{{Medal|Sport|Women's athletics}}
{{Medal|Country|{{GBR2}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Athletics at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1972 Summer Olympics|1972 Munich]]|[[Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's pentathlon|Pentathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{NIR}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1970 British Commonwealth Games|1970 Edinburgh]]|[[Athletics at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games#Women|Shot put]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1970 British Commonwealth Games|1970 Edinburgh]]|[[Athletics at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games#Women|Pentathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1974 British Commonwealth Games|1974 Christchurch]]|[[Athletics at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games#Women|Pentathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games|1966 Kingston]]|[[Athletics at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games#Women|Shot put]]}}
}}

'''Lady Mary Elizabeth Peters''' (born 6 July 1939) is a [[Northern Irish people|Northern Irish]] former [[Sportsperson|athlete]] and athletics administrator. She is best known as the 1972 [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] champion in the [[Women's pentathlon|pentathlon]], for which she won the [[BBC Sports Personality of the Year]] Award. Peters was named as Lady Companion of the [[Order of the Garter]] on 27 February 2019. She was installed in [[St. George's Chapel, Windsor|St. George's Chapel]], the chapel of the Order, on Garter Day, 17 June.

==Early life and education==
Peters was born in [[Halewood]], [[Liverpool]] and attended HuntsCross primary school, later living at 5 Mere Avenue in [[Alkrington]], where she went to primary school.<ref>''[[Belfast Telegraph]]'', 4 April 1961, p. 13</ref><ref>''[[Manchester Evening News]]'', 1 June 1964, p. 8</ref>

She moved to [[Ballymena]] (and later [[Belfast]]) at the age of eleven when her father's job was relocated to Northern Ireland.<ref name="guardianolysrs">{{cite news |last=McCourt |first=Ian |title=50 stunning Olympic moments No32: Mary Peters wins gold in 1972 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2012/may/22/olympic-moments-mary-peters-1972 |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=22 May 2012 |access-date=21 June 2024}}</ref> As a teenager, her father encouraged her athletic career by building her home practice facilities as birthday gifts. She qualified as a teacher and worked while training.

==Athletics career==
[[File:Mary Peters 1972 Olympic gold medal.JPG|135px|left|thumb|Peters' Women's Pentathlon gold medal, Munich Summer Olympics 1972]]
After Ballymena, the family moved to [[Portadown]] where she attended [[Portadown College]]. The headmaster Donald Woodman and the PE teacher Kenneth McClelland introduced her to athletics, McClelland being her first coach. She was head girl of the school in 1956.

In the [[1972 Summer Olympics]] in Munich, Peters competing for [[Great Britain at the 1972 Summer Olympics|Great Britain and Northern Ireland]] and won the gold medal in the women's [[pentathlon]]. She had finished 4th in [[Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics – Women's pentathlon|1964]] and 9th in [[Athletics at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Women's pentathlon|1968]]. To win the gold medal, she narrowly beat the local favourite, West Germany's [[Heide Rosendahl]], by 10 points, setting a world record score. After her victory, a death threat was phoned into the [[BBC]] by a man with an Irish accent: "Mary Peters is a Protestant and has won a medal for Britain. An attempt will be made on her life and it will be blamed on the IRA ... Her home will be going up in the near future." But Peters insisted she would return home to Belfast. She was greeted by fans and a band at the airport and paraded through the city streets, but was not allowed back in her flat for three months. Turning down jobs in the US and Australia, where her father lived, she insisted on remaining in Northern Ireland.<ref name="guardianolysrs"/>

In 1972, Peters won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award: "Peters, a 33-year-old secretary from Belfast, won Britain's only athletics gold at the Munich Olympics. The pentathlon competition was decided on the final event, the 200m, and Peters claimed the title by one-tenth of a second."<ref>{{cite news |title=Sports Personality of the Year: Past Winners – 1969-73 |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/shared/spl/hi/tv_and_radio/02/sport_personality/past_winners/html/1969.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=2003 |access-date=9 December 2018}}</ref>

She represented Northern Ireland at every [[Commonwealth Games]] between 1958 and 1974. In these games she won two gold medals for the [[pentathlon]], plus a gold and silver medal for the [[shot put]].

==After athletics==
Peters became a Trustee of The [[Outward Bound]] Trust in May 2001 and is vice-president of the Northern Ireland Outward Bound Association. She is also Patron of Springhill Hospice in [[Rochdale]], [[Greater Manchester]]. She now lives in [[Derriaghy]], within the [[Lisburn and Castlereagh]] district, just outside Belfast.<ref name="McNeilly">{{cite news |last=McNeilly |first=Claire |title=Queen's highest honour for Mary Peters |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/queens-highest-honour-for-mary-peters-38227371.html/ |url-status=dead |work=Belfast Telegraph |date=18 June 2019 |access-date=9 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618100939/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/queens-highest-honour-for-mary-peters-38227371.html/ |archive-date=18 June 2019}}</ref>

==The Mary Peters Trust==
Peters established a charitable Sports Trust in 1975 (now known as the Mary Peters Trust) to support talented young sportsmen and -women, both able-bodied and disabled, from across Northern Ireland in a financial and advisory capacity. The trust has made a large number of awards, and has a list of well-known alumni that includes [[Graeme McDowell]], [[Rory McIlroy]], [[Jonathan Rea]], [[Darren Clarke]], [[David Humphreys (rugby union)|David Humphreys]], [[Bethany Firth]], [[Ryan Burnett]], [[Carl Frampton]], [[Paddy Barnes]], [[Michael Conlan (boxer)|Michael Conlan]], [[Kelly Gallagher (alpine skier)|Kelly Gallagher]] and [[Michael McKillop]].

In May 2025, Peters said she was thrilled that her Trust had been assisting young sports people for more than 50 years.<ref>Mark Bain, [https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/its-always-lovely-to-be-invited-back-lady-mary-peters-returns-to-former-primary-school-as-it-celebrates-50-years/a1541448584.html "'It’s always lovely to be invited back': Lady Mary Peters returns to former primary school as it celebrates 50 years"]. ''Belfast Telegraph'', 20 May 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2025</ref>

==Honours==
[[File:Jude Terry and Mary Peters.jpg|thumb|right|Honorary Captain Peters (right) with [[Jude Terry]], the Royal Navy's first female admiral (2022)]]
Peters was appointed a [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) for services to athletics in the [[1973 New Year Honours]].<ref name="LG 29 December 1972">{{London Gazette |issue=45860 |date=29 December 1972 |pages=12–16 |supp=y}}</ref> For services to sport, she was promoted in the same Order to [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire|Commander]] (CBE) in the [[1990 Birthday Honours]]<ref name="LG 15 June 1990">{{London Gazette |issue=52173 |date=15 June 1990 |pages=7–9}}</ref> and again to [[Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire|Dame Commander]] (DBE) in the [[2000 Birthday Honours]].<ref name="LG 19 June 2000">{{London Gazette |issue=55879 |date=19 June 2000 |page=7 |supp=y}}</ref> In the [[2015 New Year Honours]], she was awarded as [[Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour]] (CH), also for services to sport and the community in Northern Ireland,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=61092 |supp=y |page=N28 |date=31 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/391413/New_Year_Honours_List_2015.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102104907/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/391413/New_Year_Honours_List_2015.pdf |url-status=dead |title=2015 New Year Honours List |archive-date=2 January 2015 |access-date=4 November 2021}}</ref> and in 2017, she was made a [[Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem|Dame of the Order of Saint John]] (DStJ).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2738123 |title=Order of St John |website=Thegazette.co.uk |access-date=9 October 2019}}</ref> Peters was appointed a [[Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter]] (LG) on 27 February 2019, and therefore granted the title ''[[Lady]]''.<ref name=garter>{{cite web |url=https://www.royal.uk/new-appointments-order-garter-announced |title=New appointments to the Order of the Garter announced |date=27 February 2019 |website=The Royal Family |access-date=27 February 2019}}</ref> She represented the Order at the [[Coronation of Charles III and Camilla|2023 coronation]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Coronation order of service in full |publisher=BBC News |date=5 May 2023 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65503950 |access-date=6 May 2023}}</ref> 

Northern Ireland's premier athletics track, on the outskirts of Belfast, is named after her. A statue of her stands within it.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dame Mary Peters |url=http://www.offbeat.group.shef.ac.uk/statues/STUK_Peters_Mary.htm |website=From Pitch to Plinth}}</ref>

In April 2009 she was named the [[Lord Lieutenant]] of the [[City of Belfast]];<ref name="bbcnews">{{cite news |title=Dame Mary now has regal role |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7989921.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=8 April 2009 |access-date=8 April 2009}}</ref> she retired from the post in 2014, being succeeded by [[Fionnuala Jay-O'Boyle]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/features/new-lord-lieutenant-of-belfast-fionnuala-jayoboyle-is-a-force-to-be-reckoned-with-30535594.html |title=New Lord Lieutenant of Belfast Fionnuala Jay-O'Boyle is a force to be reckoned with |website=Belfast Telegraph |access-date=7 June 2017}}</ref> Peters is a Freeman of the Cities of Lisburn<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lisburntoday.co.uk/news/civic-honour-mary-2726613 |title=Civic honour for Mary|website=Lisburntoday.co.uk |date=27 October 2012 |access-date=4 November 2021}}</ref> and Belfast.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dame Mary Peters granted freedom of Belfast |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20182389 |publisher=BBC News |date=2 November 2012 |access-date=21 June 2024}}</ref> 

On 1 August 2012, Peters was made an [[Honorary rank|Honorary]] [[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]] in the [[Royal Naval Reserve]].<ref name="LG 21 August 2012">{{London Gazette |issue= 60244 |date= 21 August 2012 |page= 16073 |supp= y |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref> 

===Arms===
{{Infobox COA wide
| image             = File:Coat of Arms of Lady Mary Peters.svg
| imagesize         = 270px
| bannerimage       = Garter Banner of Lady Mary Peters.svg
| badgeimage        =
| notes             = Lady Mary was granted armorial bearings along with a badge by the [[College of Arms]].<ref name="McNeilly" /> A wooden rendition of her badge has been carved to be placed above her Garter stall in [[St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle|St George's Chapel]], in place of the usual wooden crest that appears above men's stalls.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heraldicsculptor.com/gartcres.html |title=Garter Crests |publisher=heraldicsculptor.com |access-date=10 January 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122081607/http://www.heraldicsculptor.com/gartcres.html |archive-date=22 November 2021}}</ref>
| year_adopted      = 
| coronet           = 
| crest             = None<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.portadowncollege.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/24.04.2019.jpg/ |title=Uploads:2019/06/24 |publisher=portadowncollege.com |access-date=3 January 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717222855/https://www.portadowncollege.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/24.04.2019.jpg/ |archive-date=17 July 2019}}</ref>
| torse             = 
| helm              =
| escutcheon        = 
| supporters        =
| compartment       =
| motto             = '''Fortiter Et Humaniter'''<br />(''lit. With courage and courtesy'')
| other_elements    =
| banner            = The banner of the Lady Mary Peters's arms used as a lady of the Garter depicted at St George's Chapel.
| badge             = A Ulysses butterfly on the dome of Belfast City Hall proper.
| orders            = The Order of the Garter ribbon<br />Badge of the [[Order of the British Empire]]<br />Badge of the [[Order of the Companions of Honour]]<br />Badge of the [[Order of Saint John (chartered 1888)|Order of St John]]
| symbolism         = The red and blue of the shield echo the Union Flag – under which Peters competed in the Olympic Games. The five interlaced rings in the centre symbolise her Olympic past, being a symbol of the [[International Olympic Committee]]. The significance of the circlet of ten oak trees is threefold. First, they recall her father who always referred to a large oak tree in Australia, his country of residence, as "his little bit of England". Second, Peters lives in Derriaghy, from the Irish ''Doire Achaidh'', "oakwood of the field". Finally, ten oak trees were planted in her honour at the Mary Peters track as a gift after retiring as Lord Lieutenant of Belfast. For the supporters, the [[English Springer Spaniel|Springer Spaniel]] is included because of her family's love of the breed. The red and white roses around the dog's neck are symbols of [[Lancashire]] and [[Yorkshire]] respectively, which refer to the origin of her grandparents. Meanwhile, the [[liver bird]] supporter signifies [[Liverpool]], her birth town. The collar of [[flax]] flowers signifies Northern Ireland. The bird's torch is the [[Olympic flame]] which is also a pun on the 'burn' in Lisburn, a place where she has the Freedom of the City. Additionally, it denotes the Mary Peters Trust, which uses a torch in its logo. Her badge is composed of the dome of [[Belfast City Hall]], to recognise her freedom of Belfast. Atop the dome is a [[Papilio ulysses|Ulysses butterfly]] which represents her brother who is knowledgeable about butterflies. Her motto is taken from the school she attended, Portadown College, which Peters telephoned to receive permission for its use.<ref name="McNeilly" />
}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-hon}}
{{succession box | title=[[Lord Lieutenant of Belfast]] | before=[[Romayne Carswell, Lady Carswell|Lady Carswell]] | years=9 August 2009 – 6 July 2014 | after=[[Fionnuala Jay-O'Boyle]]}}
{{s-end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.runtrackdir.com/uk/pics/belfast/belfast-hs-a640.jpg Mary Peters Track, Belfast (picture)]
* [http://athleticsni.org/About/Patron-Dame-Mary-Peters Northern Irish Athletics website, entry for Mary Peters]
* [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/793935.stm BBC biography]
* [http://www.gordonpoole.com/talent/mary-peters/#return=/advanced-search/?n=mary+peters Dame Mary Peters' curriculum vitae]

{{Footer Olympic Champions Pentathlon Women}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions Great Britain Women}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions Shot Put Women}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions Heptathlon Women}}
{{British Indoor Athletics Championships women's shot put champions}}
{{BBC Sports Personality of the Year winners}}
{{Members of the Order of the Garter}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peters, Mary}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Halewood]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Ballymena]]
[[Category:Athletes from Belfast]]
[[Category:British women shot putters]]
[[Category:Women athletes from Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Shot putters from Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Pentathletes from Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1964 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1968 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Ladies Companion of the Garter]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the Companions of Honour]]
[[Category:Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Order of Saint John (chartered 1888)]]
[[Category:Deputy lieutenants in Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Sportspeople awarded damehoods]]
[[Category:Lord-lieutenants of Belfast]]
[[Category:BBC Sports Personality of the Year winners]]
[[Category:People educated at Portadown College]]
[[Category:People from Alkrington]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1972 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes from County Antrim]]
[[Category:People from Derriaghy]]
[[Category:20th-century sportswomen from Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in athletics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics]]