Burton, Beryl (1937—)

views updated

Burton, Beryl (1937—)

English cycling champion. Born in Yorkshire, England, in 1937; married cyclist Charles Burton; children: one daughter Denise Burton (also a cycling champion).

Won the World Championship in the Pursuit (1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1966); won the World Championship Road Race (1960, 1967).

Introduced to the sport by her future husband Charles Burton, Beryl Burton became the foremost 20th-century cyclist, with a 20-year unbroken record as Best British All-Rounder (1958–1978). In pursuit and road-racing events, she won 80 English titles and seven world championships. Galina Ermolaeva of Russia has been the only woman to approach Burton's amazing success. Burton's unsurpassed speed records often beat the top-ranked male riders in open events. In 1967, for example, she raced a distance of 277.37 miles in 12 hours, beating the men's best distance cyclist by 10 miles. When Burton retired to take up farming, her daughter Denise took her place in cycling competition.

More From encyclopedia.com