Betty Cuthbert: Australian athletics great honoured at world athletics championships after her death
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Australian great Betty Cuthbert has been remembered before the start of action at the athletics world championships in London.
At the Olympic Stadium, the big screen showed pictures of Cuthbert in her prime and the public address announcer asked the crowd to stand for a minute's silence.
"A fitting tribute to one of the greatest to ever compete," Athletics Australia tweeted.
Cuthbert, the only runner to win Olympic gold medals in the 100 metres, 200m and 400m, died following a long battle with multiple sclerosis, aged 79.
The only Australian among the 10 inaugural inductees to the athletics hall of fame in 2012, she won her treble at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics when she was 18.
After a short retirement following the 1960 Olympics, she returned and won the 400 at the 1964 Tokyo Games, prompting the International Association of Athletics Federations to call her "truly inspirational".
Australian athletes will wear black armbands for the remaining seven days of competition.
It will be up to individual athletes whether or not they wear the armbands, although the vast majority are expected to do so, including 400m hurdler Lauren Wells.
She was the only Australian in action on day four, finishing seventh in her heat and failing to progress to the final.
The death has clearly had an impact on the athletes, with marathon runner Jess Trengove issuing a statement on behalf of the entire team.
"Betty was a legend of the sport and Team Australia extends our sympathies to her family and friends at this sad time," she said shortly after finishing sixth in the marathon.
"You can be sure that the green and gold will be doing all that they can to honour her legacy here in London.
"She was one of the best we've ever seen compete for Australia and she inspires athletes to this day when they put on the national uniform."
Australia's most recent female athletics gold medallist, Sally Pearson, paid tribute on Twitter.
"I am so sad to hear of the passing of Betty Cuthbert," she wrote.
"She was as a giant in our sport and someone I always admired."
ABC/wires
Topics: athletics, death, sport, england, united-kingdom, australia
