Glynis Nunn

Who is Glynis Nunn?

Glynis Leanne Nunn-Cearnes, OAM is a former Australian heptathlete, the first Olympic champion in the event. Born in Toowoomba, Queensland, she began competing in athletics at age 9, when she was a student at Toowoomba South State School.

She starred in several events, and was thus a natural competitor in the pentathlon. In 1978, she qualified for the Commonwealth Games, but could not compete because of an injury.

By the time of the next Commonwealth Games, she had married Chris Nunn. In the first heptathlon competition at the Games, she upset the English favourite and took the title. At the inaugural World Championships a year later, she was placed 7th.

Because of the 1984 Summer Olympics boycott, Nunn was one of the medal candidates for the Olympic title, too. The competition was incredibly close, with five athletes fighting for the medals. After the competition, there was confusion about who had won, but when the smoke cleared, Nunn had scored 6390 points, five more than runner-up Jackie Joyner-Kersee. In addition to her gold medal, Nunn was also placed fifth in the 100 m hurdles event, and seventh in the long jump.