Dorothy Nelson Neal

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(1908–1982) was influential in the early days of women's athletics in Great Britain.Biography: Doris Nelson Neal OBE
/ref> Neal was a high-ranking member of

Birchfield Harriers Birchfield Harriers is an athletics club, founded in 1877. Its home is at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium, England. As well as welcoming recreational runners they cater for all levels of experience up to and including Olympic athletes whether ...

athletics club for 53 years, and is recognised as one of the main and most respected characters in the club's history. She competed as an athlete before taking up coaching and is recognised as the first female to coach a female athlete to a World Record, having been the coach of

Diane Leather Diane S Leather Charles (7 January 19335 September 2018) was an English athlete who was the first woman to run a sub-5-minute mile. Early life Leather was born in Streetly, Staffordshire. She was one of six children, and the only daughter, ...

when she became the first women to run the mile in under five minutes. Neal was an official at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. She was awarded the OBE for services to athletics, and a stand at

Alexander Stadium Alexander Stadium is a track and field athletics stadium in Perry Park, Birmingham, England. It hosted the athletics and opening/closing ceremonies of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Other events held there include the annual British Grand Prix ...

is named after her.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Neal, Doris Nelson 1908 births 1982 deaths British athletics coaches British referees and umpires Officers of the Order of the British Empire