Main Photo: Athletics Weekly
Halesowen Athletics & Cycling Club are sad to report the death of Rosemary Chrimes (nee Payne).
She passed away a few days ago at the at the age of 93.
Rosemary competed for the club for about 10 years before retiring in her early 80s.
She has been to several Olympic games both as athlete and team manager and although she joined our club later in her athletic career, she thought of us as her main club although she had competed for Lozells before.
She was an inspiration to all those she helped.
Kathryn Williets, Athletic Section Chair, Halesowen Athletics & Cycling Club
EARLY LIFE
Rosemary was born in Kelso, Scotland on 19 May 1933, initially competing under her maiden name, Charters, before marrying fellow international hammer thrower Howard Payne.
She first took up athletics while studying at Edinburgh University, showing prowess in the hurdles and jumps as well as the throws.
Under her maiden name of Christine Rosemary Charters, she threw the discus 30.15m to win a bronze medal at the 1954 Scottish championships.
She won her first Scottish title in the 1959 shot with 10.89m, a championship best by almost two feet.
COMMONWEALTH MEDALS AND OLYMPIC GAMES
Competing as a true amateur while working full-time in education, she dominated British women’s discus throwing for over a decade.
She represented Scotland at four Commonwealth Games.
Her career peak arrived at the 1970 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games, where she won the gold medal in the discus throw.
VIDEO: Team Scotland / BBC
She followed this with a silver medal at the 1974 Games in Christchurch.
At 39, she qualified for and competed in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games for Great Britain.
She broke the British discus record in 1964, a mark that stood for thirteen years and was crowned British champion every single year from 1964 to 1974.
MASTERS COMPETITION
After stepping away from elite competition in 1975, Rosemary returned to the sport in the mid-1980s, when she fully embraced the masters athletics scene.
Over her veteran career, she has broken more than 20 World Masters records and collected dozens of British age-group titles.
She demonstrated incredible longevity and physical versatility, expanding her repertoire from throwing events to sprinting, hurdles, the high jump, and the triple jump.
Remarkably, she completed a near-total sweep of British outdoor discus records across every age division from W35 all the way up to the W85 class.
In 2003, aged 70, she returned with three gold medals from the World Masters’ Championships in Puerto Rico in high jump (1.26), shot (10.68) and discus (31.29), the high jump and discus being world records for the age-group.
Since ‘retiring’, she set over 20 World Masters records.
A graduate of Edinburgh University, she was awarded the honorary degree of DUniv by the University of Glasgow in 2014 in recognition of her sporting achievements.
Rosemary also coached and managed junior athletes, dedicating her time to empowering young women to step into sports.
LATER LIFE
Rosemary spent her later years at the Care UK’s Metchley Manor home in Edgaston.
In an interview with Care UK last April to mark Women’s History Month, Rosemary told how proud she was competing for Great Britain at the top level.
Rosemary said: “Testing myself at that level was an incredible privilege. Qualifying for the Olympics in 1972 was a moment I will never forget, and the Commonwealth Games in 1970 was equally special.
“Around that time, my husband, Howard Payne, also competed and won three gold medals at the Commonwealths. It was a remarkable chapter in our lives. The press loved the story of us both competing on the world stage, and it felt very special to share that journey.”
When she retired, Rosemary went on to manage junior athletes, where she consistently empowered young women to back themselves, work hard and follow their dreams.
She was passionate about encouraging girls to follow their sporting ambitions.
“Be bold and pursue the sport you genuinely love and feel passionate about,” she said. “Never feel limited in what you can achieve and step confidently into every space.”
ROSEMARY THROUGH THE AGES
Rosemary pictured front row centre with the Edinburgh University hockey team in 1957 (she was captain).
PHOTO: Scottish Athletics
On the cover of Athletics Weekly in May 1970.
PHOTO: Scottish Athletics
Rosemary being presented with the Best Performance Trophy at the Midland Masters Championships in 2008.
PHOTO: Midland Masters AC.
Rosemary marking Women’s History Month at Metchley Manor
PHOTO: Care UK.
ROSEMARY’S WORLD RECORD TIMELINE (courtesy of Midland Masters AC)
1986
15 March She set a W50-54 Age Group World Indoor Shot Putt record 12.48m, then aged 52.
1987
27 March Aged 53, she set a World Indoor High Jump record of 1.30m.
She also set a world record in the Discus.
1988
25 March Aged 54, she set a W50-54 age group Indoor 60m Hurdles World Record of 11.5sec.
25 March She set a World Indoor Record in the Triple Jump of 8.42m.
26 June Aged 55, she set a W55-59 World High Jump Record clearing 1.36m.
24 July Set World record in the triple jump with a jump of 9.12m.
24 July World Record with the 3kg Hammer of 35.10m.
31 July World Record Discus throw of 39.72m.
1989
2 March World Indoor High Jump record: 1.30m.
26 March World Indoor W55-59 Age Group 60m Hurdles,:11.1 secs.
26 March World Indoor W55-59 High Jump record: 1.36m. This record stood for over 10 years.
26 March World Indoor W55-59 Triple Jump record 8.57m. Record stood for 10 years.
26 March World Indoor W55-59 Shot Putt record, 12.04m.
1993
26 September Jumped 1.30m for a World Over 60 high jump record.
Set a World Discus record of 37.56m that was not broken until 2002 by the former East German double Olympian, Karin Illgren.
1996
Set World W60 marks in Shot Putt of 12.20m.
World Record Discus throw of 37.56m.
1997
1 March World Indoor High Jump record, clearing 1.30m then aged almost 64.
2003
7 June World W70 Shot Putt record, 11.02m.
8 June World W70 Discus Record 31.62m.
2009
14 June World W75 Shot Putt record 9.04m.
2012
10 June World W75 High Jump record 1.18m aged 79/
Altogether, Rosemary was 23 times a World beater!!
For more about Rosemary’s amazing career in the sport, please see the following articles below
Scottish Athletics October 2020
What makes someone beautiful? BBC Radio 2 / BBC Sounds October 2016
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