Audrey Kathleen BROWN

Audrey Brown went to Birmingham University where she played hockey before taking up athletics. The University 220 yards champion, she was selected to represent England at the International University Games at Torino in 1933, shortly after taking up the sport seriously, and returned home with two silver medals, in the 100 metres and 4x100 relay. Four years later, at the Paris Games, she increased her medal tally with three more silvers, in the 80 metres, 100 metres, and sprint relay.

The 1936 Berlin Olympics was a family affair for Audrey, because not only did she win a silver medal in the 4x100 metres relay, her brother Godfrey Brown was a double medalist with gold in the 4x400 relay, and silver in the 400 metres. It was nearly a triple celebration for the Brown family, because their other brother Ralph, a AAA 440 yard hurdle champion, was forced to miss the Games through injury.

Audrey Brown never won a WAAA title, but was third in the 100 metres in both 1936 and 1938, and in the latter year was also third in the 200. She was captain of the British women’s team at that year’s politically-tense European Championship in Wien. Britain ‘won’ the silver medal in the sprint relay but were disqualified, with Poland taking the silver medal behind Germany. Shortly after the Europeans, Brown gave up competitive athletics and took up a post with Rowntree’s Confectioners in York.

Personal Best: 100 – 12.3 (1938).