Peters, Mary Elizabeth (1939– )

Northern Irish athlete who won the Olympic pentathlon title at Munich in 1972. Born in Lancashire, England, but raised in Northern Ireland, she competed in her first pentathlon at Ballymena in 1955. After finishing fourth in the pentathlon at the 1964 Olympics, and ninth four years later, she won the event in 1972 with a world record score of 4,801 points. In 1970 she won the Commonwealth pentathlon and shot put gold medals. After retiring from competition she became a leading sports administrator in Northern Ireland. In recognition of her contribution to athletics, and of her charity and community work in Northern Ireland, she was made a dame in 2000.

Career highlights

Olympic Games gold pentathlon 1972

Commonwealth Games gold pentathlon 1970; gold shot put 1970