Essay, Biography or Paragraph on “Fanny Blankers” complete biography for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Fanny Blankers

Holland: Heroine of London Olympics

Born : 1918

There have been many women athletes whose amazing performances 1 in Olympics have brought glory to the fair sex. Amongst them, the name of Francisca Fanny Blankers shall always glitter, who in spite of her advancing age, made Olympic history by her fantastic performance.

Fanny was born at Amsterdam (Holland) on January 26, 1918. She became interested in athletics at the early age of 14. She used to practise running, cycling and jumping for hours. In 1940, Fanny Blankers married her trainer Blankers. In spite of becoming a mother, she remained a top class woman athlete and was hailed as the ‘heroine of London Olympics’.

Fanny Blankers could not take part in Olympic Games for 12 years due to World War II. She took part in the London Olympics in 1948 held after a gap of 12 years. Earlier she had part in the Berlin Olympics of 1936. She also represented Holland in the Helsinki Olympics of 1952. In the London Olympics, she won four gold medals. They were for 100 metres (11.9 seconds), 200 metres (24.4 seconds), 80 metres hurdles race. (11.2 seconds) and 4 x 100 metres relay race.

Earlier, she set up world records in 80 metres hurdles race in 1942. In 1943, she set up world records in high and long jumps. She also established world records in 100 metres race (1944), 220 metres in 1950 and pentathlon in 1951.