The Sad Story Of Lillian Board.

In 1968 with the Mexico Olympics approaching,the British public were looking for a new golden girl to replace Mary Rand.The blonde vivacious young Lillian Board was an obvious candidate.So when Lillian favourite  to win the 400 metres at Mexico,was beaten on the line by the unfancied French girl Colette Besson,it was deemed a failure.Yet to win an Olympic silver medal at the age of 19 was some achievement but more was to come just a year later in the European championships at Athens.First she spreadeagled the field in the 800 metres,she then won a second gold in the 4 by 400 metres relay.Running the final leg for Britain she came from 10 metres down she caught her old rival Colette Besson in the last stride in a new world record.
She decided to concentrate on middle distance running  in 1970 and was showing great promise,she probably would have been the worlds best miler but fell ill,she was diagnosed with terminal cancer in September 1970 and died Christmas of the same year at the tragically young age of 22.