Denise Boyd

Denise Margaret Robertson-Boyd (born 15 December 1952) is an Australian former Olympic sprinter, who reached two Olympic finals in the 200 metres sprint. The first was Montreal 1976, then Moscow 1980. She was also a member of the Australian sprint relay team, that reached the final in 1976.

Boyd won two Commonwealth gold medals for 200 metres and 4x100 relay at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton.

1973 Pacific Conference Games in Toronto, Denise won Gold in the 200m and Sprint relay, as well as Bronze in the 100. Four years later in the same competition, 1977 in Canberra, Denise done even better winning 4 Golds in the 100, 200, 4x100 and 4x400.

Denise also won 4 Australian National 100m titles, and 5 200m championships, as well as winning the 400 in 1983.

Still in 1983 Denise won the AAA 400m title.

Boyd's best performances were:

• 100 m: 11.35 (Moscow, 1980)
• 200 m: 22.35 (Sydney, 1980)
• 400 m: 51.48 (Melbourne, 1983)

Denise also has the fastest manual 100 and 200 times by an Australian woman, 11.00 in the 100 in Sydney 1973, and 200 22.3 also Sydney in 1979.

Her husband, Ray Boyd was also a Commonwealth Games champion and double-Olympic representative in the pole vault. The Boyds have three children, all of whom are successful athletes:

• Alana (born 10 May 1984) - 4.55 m Olympic pole vaulter
• Jacinta (born 10 February 1986) - 6.64 m long jumper
• Matthew (Matt) (born 29 April 1988) - 5.35 m pole vaulter

In 2009 Denise Boyd was inducted into the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame.