Sylvia Cheeseman

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name =

| image =Sylvia Cheeseman 1950.jpg

| image_size =

| caption =Cheeseman hammering her starting blocks into place at the 1950 British Empire Games

| birth_name =

| nationality = British (English)

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1929|5|19|df=y}}

| birth_place = Richmond, London, England

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 171 cm

| weight = 63 kg

| sport = Athletics

| event = Sprint

| pb =100 m – 12.0 (1954)
200 m – 24.4 (1949)

| club = Spartan Ladies

| coach = Sandy Duncan

| alma_mater =

| retired =

| olympics =

| highestranking =

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{GBR2}}}}

{{MedalCountry | {{ENG}} }}

}}

Sylvia Cheeseman (born 19 May 1929) is an English retired sprinter who won a bronze medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Biography

Cheeseman's mother was a concert pianist, her father was a double bass player and a founding member of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and her sister was an international model. She lived on Derwent Road, in Whitton, London.Reveille Tuesday 9 September 1947, page 3

She attended Spring Grove Grammar School.Marylebone Mercury Saturday 13 September 1946, page 3

Cheeseman became the national 200 metres champion after winning the British WAAA Championships title at the 1946 WAAA Championships.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000669/19460715/054/0003 |title=Women's Titles Change Hands |work=Birmingham Daily Gazette |date=15 July 1946 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=26 January 2025 }} She would go on to win the same title another five times from 1947 to 1952.{{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=26 January 2025 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/waaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (women) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=26 January 2025 }}

At the 1948 Olympic Games in London, represeting Great Britain, she was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 200 metres competition.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68625 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=26 January 2025}}

Competing in relays, she won two medals for England at the 1950 British Empire Games.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/auckland-1950/athletes |title=Auckland 1950 Team |website=Team England |access-date=26 January 2025 }}

In the 1952 Olympics she won her heat but was eliminated in the semi-final.

In 1957 she married the Olympic runner John Disley; they had two daughters. After retiring from competitions, she worked as a freelance journalist in China and all around Europe.

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite web |author=Kubatko, Justin |title=Sylvia Cheeseman Biography and Olympic Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ch/sylvia-cheeseman-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418035824/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ch/sylvia-cheeseman-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |work=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |accessdate=24 January 2010 }}

{{cite web |author=Thurlow, David |title=Sylvia Cheeseman |url=http://www.nuts.org.uk/trackstats/cheeseman.htm|work=Track Stats|date= March 2009 |publisher=NUTS |accessdate=20 March 2010 }}

}}