Betty Moore
Betty Moore (Betty R. Moore, née McReavie; born 21 November 1934) is an Australian-born hurdler who set a world record of 10.5 seconds for the 80 meters hurdles in 1962 and competed internationally for Great Britain and England1. Born in New South Wales, she moved to England, where her career intersected with the era's leading hurdlers, including Pam Kilborn and Karin Balzer2.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Signature mark | 80 meters hurdles world record of 10.5, Kassel, West Germany, 25 August 19621 |
| National titles | Women's AAA 80 meters hurdles champion in 1961 and 19623 |
| 1962 Empire Games | Two silver medals for England, in the hurdles and the relay4 |
The 1960 Rome disqualification
Moore finished second behind Carole Quinton in the 80 meters hurdles at the British 1960 WAAA Championships and was selected to represent Great Britain at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.
World record and 1962 season
On 25 August 1962, at an International DLV Meeting in Kassel, West Germany, Moore ran 10.5 for the 80 meters hurdles, a world record that placed her alongside Gisela Birkemeyer's 1960 mark in the event's record progression1. The 80 meters hurdles was then a flagship women's technical event, run over barriers before it was replaced by the 100 meters hurdles after the 1968 Olympics1.
That same year she won the Women's AAA title for the second consecutive season, having first taken the championship in 19613. At the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth she won two silver medals for England, in the hurdles and the relay4.
Rivalry with Pam Kilborn. In the Perth 80 meters hurdles final Moore faced her fellow Australian Pam Kilborn, who was born in Victoria and represented Australia while Moore, living in England, represented England. Moore arrived as the favorite on the strength of her world record, but Kilborn won easily in 10.9 to Moore's 11.32.
Record status and the UK record question
Moore's 10.5 stood within a cluster of shared world records: by 1964 the world record of 10.5 was held jointly by Birkemeyer (1960), Moore (1962), Karin Balzer (1964), Irina Press (1964), and Draga Stamejcic (1964)5. Because Moore was Australian-born, her status as a British record holder was debated in the contemporary press. Writing after the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the statistician Melvyn Watman stated that Moore held the official UK record at 10.5, although Pat Pryce's 10.7, equalled at Tokyo, was the fastest by a British-born athlete6. A July 1964 report on Pat Pryce's 10.7 noted that it was "in effect a British record even if the books do list a 10.5 mark by Betty Moore"7.
Later life and recognition
After retiring from competition Moore remained active in the sport as an administrator, serving as vice-president of Athletics New South Wales in Sydney4.
Her family continued her athletic line: the Australian runner Georgia Winkcup is her granddaughter8.
References
- Discontinued Sprint & Hurdle Events World Records, AthleticsLab
- Pam (Kilborn) Ryan, Australian Athletics Hall of Fame
- Track Stats – Bob Birrell, NUTS
- National Masters News, March 1993
- Athletics Weekly, 10 October 1964 (Vol. 18 No. 41)
- Athletics Weekly, 28 November 1964 (Vol. 18 No. 48)
- Athletics Weekly, 11 July 1964 (Vol. 18 No. 28)
- IAAF World Championships Doha 2019 Biographical Entry List
Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Athletics, gymnastics, and strength sports › Athletes of track and field and road running › Sprinters and hurdlers › Hurdlers › World record-setting hurdlers
Initially written Oct 20, 2026 · Edited: Oct 25, 2026
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