The 1923 WAAA Championships were the first national track and field championships for women in the United Kingdom. The tournament was held on 18 August 1923, at the Oxo Sport Grounds in Downham, Lewisham in South London.
Background After the successful first 1922 Women's World Games in Paris and the three Women's Olympiads (1921 Women's Olympiad, 1922 Women's Olympiad and 1923 Women's World Games) in Monaco, the interest for women's sports also grew internationally. In 1922 the Women's Amateur Athletic Association (WAAA) was founded and that year several national women's track meets were held.
1922 national champions
EventGoldSilverBronzevenue & notes100 yards Nora Callebout 12.2 Mary Lines 1 foot Ivy J. Lowman 1 yardLyons Club, 3 June220 yards Mary Lines 26.8 Nora Callebout 3 yards Ivy J. Lowman inches440 yards Mary Lines 64.4 Ivy J. Lowman 7 yards Alice Cast 880 yards Mary Lines 2:26.6 Jessie Brooks 5 yards Phyllis Hall 20 yards120 yards hurdles Daisy Wright 20.4 Hilda Hatt inches E. Johnson 5 yardshigh jump Sylvia Stone 1.384 Sophie Eliott-Lynn Hilda Hatt + world record
1923 Inaugural Championship meeting The athletes competed in 11 events: running 100 yards, 220 yards, 440 yards, 880 yards, relay race 660 yards, hurdling 120 yards, high jump, long jump, shot put, javelin and track walk 880 yards. 3 unofficial world records were set: Mary Lines in running 440 yards and hurdles 120 yards and Edith Trickey in track walk 880 yards. The tournament was a huge promotion for women's sports.Athletic News, Monday 20 August 1923
Results
EventGoldSilverBronze100 yards Mary Lines (London Olympiades) 12.0 sec Rose Thompson (Manor Park) Evelyn Harris 220 yards Eileen Edwards (London Olympiades) 27.0 sec Rose Thompson (Manor Park) Vera Palmer 440 yards Mary Lines (London Olympiades) 62.4 sec Louise Low (Manor Park) P Batt (London Olympiades) 880 yards Edith Trickey (NB and MSC) 2:40.2 min Gladys Lane Phyllis Hall 660-yard relay London Olympiades "A"Lines, A.M. Cust, Lowman, Edwards) 1:22.6 min Manor Park Athletics Club London Olympiades "B" 120 yards hurdles Mary Lines (London Olympiades) 18.8 sec Sophie Eliott-Lynn (Kensington LAC) Hilda Hatt (London Olympiades) High jump Hilda Hatt (London Olympiades) 1.45 m Ivy J. Lowman (London Olympiades) 1.42 m Sylvia Stone (Kensington LAC) 1.40 mLong jump Mary Lines (London Olympiades) 4.96 m Hilda Hatt (London Olympiades) 4.86 m Gladys Elliott 4.66 mShot put(8 lb) Florence Birchenough (London Olympiades) 16.17 (yds?) Beatrice Manton 16.00 Sophie Eliott-Lynn (Kensington LAC) 15.78Two-handed javelin Sophie Eliott-Lynn (Kensington LAC) 35.76 (yds?) E Willis 31.08 Sylvia Stone(Kensington LAC) 30.53880-yard walk Edith Trickey (NB and MSC) 4:35.0 min Betty Keeling D Clark
See also 1923 AAA Championships
References
External links WAAA Championships Medallists (National Union of Track Statisticians) picture Oxo Sport Grounds (Runner 500) picture Polytechnic Ladies Athletic Club (Runner 500) "The Official History of The Women's Amateur Athletic Association", Mel Watman, 2012, SportsBooks Ltd ()