|
|
![]() |
| Track & Field Athletics
Australia by Graham
Thomas |
|
![]() |
Profile - Loyal Forward
|
![]() |
 |
- Born - Broken Hill 1892
- Australia/Western Australia
|
|
Loyal Forward was born in Broken Hill, New South Wales in 1892. Her father was a known professional sprinter in the many carnivals conducted around Australian in this era.
By the year 1906, the Forward family had re-located to Perth in Western Australia and Loyal was a fourteen year old schoolgirl.
In December of that year, the well-known promoter of professional sports, Rufe Naylor organised a great sporting carnival in the gold mining town of Kalgoorlie. Pedestrian sprinting was extremely popular at this time and big crowds had flocked to previous meetings in the country town.
The highlights of the 1906 meeting were a series of clashes between English sprint champion Beauchamp C. Day and Australian star Arthur Postle and a new innovation; a race to decide the lady champion of West Australia.
This women's championship proved very popular with 56 women competitors running in 14 heats of the 50y event. The first heat saw local runner Ethel Page just beaten by a ¼ of a yard by Miss.R.Booth (7.4). In the next heat, fifteen year old Loyal Forward of Fremantle set a fast time of 7.0 to hold off Miss. R.Rabbish by just half a yard. Miss F. Gleeson, with the equal fastest time of 7.0 won heat seven easily while all heats were won in 7.8 seconds or less with a number of close finishes.
In the four semi-finals, the first race saw a wonderful dead-heat by Flora McDonald and Miss A. Parkin in a time of 7.0 which equalled the records from yesterday. The record did not last much longer though as young Loyal Forward won the second heat with a faster time of 6.8. Miss J. Wilson (7.6) and Miss R. Beaglehole (7.1) were other winners to progress to the final.
The press reported that the final of the ladies event ‘caused great excitement’. Loyal Forward won easily in the fast time of 6.6 and was accorded an ovation by the crowd of around 8000. As well as the title of champion, she won an 18 carat gold watch and muff chain, a ‘Nellie Stewart’ bangle and a gold brooch. There was also a guinea trophy presented to the lady in the prettiest costume.
The ‘Kalgoorlie Miner’ reported that new state champion was ‘undoubtably the fastest lady ever seen on the fields’ and that it was the intent of the Kalgoorlie Athletic Club to request Miss Forward to make an attempt on the world’s 100y record of 13.0 now held by an American (Fannie James).
In her attempt on the 100y record, conducted in the evening’s programme, Forward was assisted by Ethel Page who had a seven yard advantage. The ‘West Australian’ reported that 'Page made the early stages of the running very solid, but Miss Forward put in a great sprint at the finish and breasted the tape a yard and a half ahead. The time was taken on several watches as 12.5 and when the result was shown on the screen the young lady was vociferously cheered. She took the plaudits of the crowd with the greatest of equanimity as well as the five guinea trophy presented by the club'.
The drop of about three feet in the full 140y and about two feet in the last 60y of the Kalgoorlie track negated acceptance of this time as an official record but journalists in the sporting press were fulsome in their praise for the new lady champion. Richard Coombes, President of the Australian Amateur Athletic Union, writing in the ‘Referee’ noted that ‘although this race would be decided on the downhill course at Kalgoorlie it is a very fine run for a woman, very fine indeed.’
Shortly afterwards, Loyal Forward issued a challenge to any woman in Australian, via the newspapers, to race for the Australian title. She received no responses and was indignant, a year later, when Victorian Ivy Evans claimed the title, after her sprint challenge against Madame Isa Bell in Melbourne.
Forward immediately challenged Evans who did commit to race in Western Australia. When she arrived in Perth, Evans and Forward were unable to come to agreement over terms for the race. Forward disagreed with the choice of venue as Evan's preferred ground could hold less than 10,000 people.
In the end, Ivy Evans defeated Ethel Page over three sprint distances and won the series easily. She left Western Australia without racing Loyal Forward, much to the ire of the Western Australian and her father. There is no record of Loyal Forward racing again, but she holds the title of the first women's state champion in Australia.
The above biography is a basic profile.
As soon as I have time, the more detailed bio will replace this
page.
|
|
|
An unofficial, non-profit, just-for-fun, page but ©
1995-2002 by Graham
Thomas |
| |