Judy Oakes

{{Infobox sportsperson

| headercolor =

| name = Judy Oakes

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| nationality = British (English)

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|02|14|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Lewisham, Greater London

| death_date =

| death_place =

| sport = Athletics

| event = Shot put

| height = 163 cm

| weight = 83 kg

| club = Croydon Harriers

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{ENG}}}}

{{MedalCountry|{{GBR2}}}}

}}

Judith Miriam Oakes (born 14 February 1958 in Lewisham, Greater London) is a female retired English shot putter, powerlifter, and weightlifter.

Athletics career

Oakes represented Great Britain in the 1984 Summer Olympics, 1988 Summer Olympics, 1996 Summer Olympics and 2000 Summer Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/oa/judy-oakes-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418025452/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/oa/judy-oakes-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-04-18|title=Olympic Profile|website=Sports Reference}}

Oakes competed in six consecutive Commonwealth Games from 1978 until 1998 and won a medal at every one of them.{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/41564|title=Athletes and results|website=Commonwealth Games Federation|access-date=28 September 2019|archive-date=14 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814015236/https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/41564|url-status=dead}} She represented England and won a bronze medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edmonton-1978/athletes|title=1978 Athletes|website=Team England}} Four years later she represented England and won a gold medal, at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/brisbane-1982/athletes|title=1982 Athletes|website=Team England}} A further four years later she represented England and won a silver medal, at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edinburgh-1986/athletes|title=1986 Athletes|website=Team England}} The fourth appearance and medal came in 1990 when she represented England and won another silver, at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/auckland-1990/athletes|title=1990 Athletes|website=Team England}} The fifth and sixth medals were a both gold medals at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/victoria-1994/athletes |title=Victoria 1994 Team |website=Team England |access-date=30 March 2025 }} and the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/kuala-lumpur-1998/athletes |title=Malaysia 1998 Team |website=Team England |access-date=1 April 2025 }}

Her personal best put was 19.36 metres, achieved in August 1988 in Gateshead. This is still the British record.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/uk/wf99.htm UK All-Time Lists: Women – Throws] – GBR Athletics

Oakes was British shot put champion a remarkable 18 times, after winning the British WAAA Championships title in 1979–1980, 1982–1988, 1990-1992, 1994-1998 and 2000.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/20000814/247/0022 |title=Weekend results |work=The Scotsman |date=14 August 2000 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=4 April 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=8 March 2025}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/waaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (women) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=8 March 2025 }} Additnally she won the UK title 11 times.

Powerlifting career

She was World Champion in Powerlifting three times, and European Champion eight times. Her last British Record (a Squat of 202½kg in the 75 kg bodyweight class set in February 1989) lasted until June 2008, when Marie Thornton squatted 215 kg.[http://www.ynecawla.org.uk/yne/ynenews.htm British Powerlifting News]{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} – British Weight Lifters

Awards

She was given an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in 1999.{{cite news |title=People's champions knighted |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/583942.stm |work=BBC News |date=31 December 1999 |access-date=17 July 2007 }}

Achievements in athletics

{{AchievementTable}}
colspan="5"\|Representing {{GBR2}} and {{ENG}}
1978 \|Commonwealth Games \|Edmonton, Canada \| style="background:#c96;"\| 3rd \|16.14 m
1979 \|European Indoor Championships \|Vienna, Austria \| style="background:#c96;"\| 3rd \|15.66 m
1982 \|Commonwealth Games \|Brisbane, Australia \| style="background:gold;"\| 1st \|17.92 m
1983 \|World Championships \|Helsinki, Finland \|12th \|17.52 m
1984 \|Olympic Games \|Los Angeles, United States \|4th \|18.14 m
1985 \|European Indoor Championships \|Piraeus, Greece \|6th \|17.83 m
rowspan=2\|1986 \|Commonwealth Games \|Edinburgh, United Kingdom \| style="background:silver;"\| 2nd \|18.75 m
European Championships \|Stuttgart, West Germany \|14th \|17.85 m
rowspan=3\|1987 \|European Indoor Championships \|Liévin, France \|6th \|18.14 m
World Indoor Championships \|Indianapolis, United States \|9th \|17.85 m
World Championships \|Rome, Italy \|15th (q) \|18.43 m
1988 \|Olympic Games \|Seoul, South Korea \|16th (q) \|18.34 m
1990 \|Commonwealth Games \|Auckland, New Zealand \| style="background:silver;"\| 2nd \|18.43 m
1991 \|World Championships \|Tokyo, Japan \|14th (q) \|17.81 m
1994 \|Commonwealth Games \|Victoria, Canada \| style="background:gold;"\| 1st \|18.16 m
rowspan=2\|1995 \|World Indoor Championships \|Barcelona, Spain \|8th \|17.77 m
World Championships \|Gothenburg, Sweden \|13th (q) \|17.87 m
rowspan=2\|1996 \|European Indoor Championships \|Stockholm, Sweden \|4th \|18.72 m
Olympic Games \|Atlanta, United States \|11th \|18.34 m
rowspan=2\|1997 \|World Indoor Championships \|Paris, France \|10th \|17.51 m
World Championships \|Athens, Greece \|14th (q) \|17.84 m
rowspan=3\|1998 \|European Indoor Championships \|Valencia, Spain \|6th \|18.42 m
Goodwill Games \|Uniondale, United States \|6th \|18.12 m
Commonwealth Games \|Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia \| style="background:gold;"\| 1st \|18.83 m
2000 \|Olympic Games \|Sydney, Australia \|13th (q) \|17.81 m

colspan="5"|Representing {{GBR2}} and {{ENG}}

1978

|Commonwealth Games

|Edmonton, Canada

| style="background:#c96;"| 3rd

|16.14 m

1979

|European Indoor Championships

|Vienna, Austria

| style="background:#c96;"| 3rd

|15.66 m

1982

|Commonwealth Games

|Brisbane, Australia

| style="background:gold;"| 1st

1983

|12th

1984

|Los Angeles, United States

|4th

|18.14 m

1985

|European Indoor Championships

|Piraeus, Greece

|6th

|17.83 m

rowspan=2|1986

|Commonwealth Games

|Edinburgh, United Kingdom

| style="background:silver;"| 2nd

|18.75 m

European Championships

|Stuttgart, West Germany

|14th

|17.85 m

rowspan=3|1987

|European Indoor Championships

|Liévin, France

|6th

|18.14 m

World Indoor Championships

|Indianapolis, United States

|9th

|15th (q)

1988

|16th (q)

1990

|Auckland, New Zealand

| style="background:silver;"| 2nd

1991

|14th (q)

1994

| style="background:gold;"| 1st

|18.16 m

rowspan=2|1995

|World Indoor Championships

|8th

|13th (q)

rowspan=2|1996

|European Indoor Championships

|Stockholm, Sweden

|4th

|18.72 m

Olympic Games

|Atlanta, United States

|11th

|18.34 m

rowspan=2|1997

|World Indoor Championships

|10th

|14th (q)

rowspan=3|1998

|European Indoor Championships

|Valencia, Spain

|6th

|18.42 m

Goodwill Games

|Uniondale, United States

|6th

|18.12 m

Commonwealth Games

|Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

| style="background:gold;"| 1st

2000

|13th (q)

References

{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/oa/judy-oakes-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418025452/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/oa/judy-oakes-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-18 |title=Judy Oakes}}
{{World Athletics}}

Category:1958 births

Category:Living people

Category:British female shot putters

Category:English female shot putters

Category:British female powerlifters

Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire

Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain

Category:Athletes from the London Borough of Lewisham

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1978 Commonwealth Games

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1982 Commonwealth Games

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics