Names
Shirley Strickland collection
IDs
nma-collection-161
Descriptions
The Shirley Strickland collection consists of a pair of green shorts with yellow stripes and a white vest with diagonal green and gold stripes, which comprise a running uniform from the 1956 Olympic Games held in Melbourne.
Shirley Strickland was one of the most successful track athletes ever to compete for Australia. She won a total of seven Olympic medals across three Olympic Games, the most by any female track-and-field athlete until 2000. In total she won six national titles, set three individual world records, and was a member of six world record-breaking relay teams. However, Strickland also contributed to Australian cultural life through her coaching and administrative roles, campaigning on environmental issues, through her involvement with the Australian Democrats and her many years as a physics teacher.
This collection illustrates the significance Shirley Strickland had as an Australian athlete, as well as the significance of the 1956 Olympic Games to the development of Australia's cultural identity.
Copyright National Museum of Australia
Physical access to the collection by appointment only
Related Collections
Dates
2012-05-30 23:43
2011-06-27 10:42