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Beryl Burton

Beryl Burton, OBE
Beryl Burton 1967d.jpg
Burton in 1967
Personal information
Born (1937-05-12)12 May 1937
Halton, Leeds, England
Died 5 May 1996(1996-05-05) (aged 58)
Yorkshire, England
Team information
Discipline Road and track
Role Rider

Beryl Burton, OBE (12 May 1937 – 5 May 1996) was an English racing cyclist who dominated women’s cycle racing in the UK, winning more than 90 domestic championships and seven world titles, and setting numerous national records. She set a women's record for the 12-hour time-trial which exceeded the men's record for two years.

Burton was born Beryl Charnock in the Halton area of Leeds, West Yorkshire and lived in the nearby Morley area throughout her life, racing mainly for Morley Cycling Club and later Knaresborough CC. In childhood, she suffered chronic health problems which included 15 months in hospital and a convalescent home due to rheumatic fever.

She was introduced to cycling through her husband, Charlie, whom she married in 1955. Two years later, she took her first national medal, a silver in the national 100-mile individual time trial championship, and before the decade was out was competing internationally.

Burton won the women’s world road race championship in 1960 and 1967 and was runner-up in 1961. On the track, she specialised in the individual pursuit, winning world championship medals almost every year across three decades. She was world champion five times (1959, 1960, 1962, 1963 and 1966), silver-medallist three times (1961, 1964 and 1968), and winner of bronze in 1967, 1970, 1971 and 1973.

In domestic time trial competition, Burton was almost unbeatable. She won the Road Time Trials Council’s British Best All-Rounder Competition for 25 consecutive years from 1959 to 1983. In total, she won 72 national individual time trial titles; she won four at 10 miles (the championship was inaugurated in 1978), 26 at 25 miles, 24 at 50 miles and 18 at 100 miles. Her last national solo time trial titles were achieved in 1986 (at 25 and 50 miles; she was part of the fastest team, Knaresborough CC, in the 50 mile event in 1969).


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Wikipedia

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