{{short description|British athlete (born 1959)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}} {{Use British English|date=May 2015}} {{Infobox sportsperson |name=Wendy Sly<br>née Smith<br /><small>{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}}}}</small> |birth_name=Wendy Smith |birth_date={{birth date and age|df=y|1959|11|5}} |birth_place=Hampton, London, England |death_date= |death_place= |sport = Athletics |club = Borough of Hounslow Athletics Club <br> Brooks Racing Team (USA) | height =168 cm | weight =52 kg |show-medals=yes |medaltemplates={{Medal|Sport | Women's Athletics}} {{Medal|Country | {{GBR2}} }} {{Medal|Competition|Olympic Games}} {{Medal|Silver| 1984 Los Angeles | 3,000 metres}} {{Medal|Competition|World Road Race Championships}} {{Medal|Gold|1983 San Diego |10 km}} {{MedalCountry | {{ENG}} }} {{MedalCompetition|Commonwealth Games}} {{MedalSilver| 1982 Brisbane | 3,000m}} }}
'''Wendy Sly''' MBE (née '''Smith''', born 5 November 1959) is a British former athlete, who competed mainly in the 3000 metres. She won a silver medal in the event at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She won the 1983 10km World Road Race Championships in San Diego.
== Biography == Sly was born in Hampton, Greater London, England. She attended Spelthorne College, then studied English literature at Loughborough University from 1978 to 1981.
In 1978, as Wendy Smith, she finished 43rd at the World Cross Country Championships, and won a team bronze medal. In 1980, she was the UK number one in the 3000 metres and finished second in the 1500 metres at the UK Championships.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/|title=GBRATHLETICS.COM - UK and International Athletics Records and Statistics|website=www.gbrathletics.com|access-date=2020-04-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101226125200/http://gbrathletics.com/ic/mg.htm|archive-date=26 December 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1982, at the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, she won a silver medal in the 3000 metres, running 8:48.47 behind Anne Audain.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/39854|title=Athletes and results|website=Commonwealth Games Federation|access-date=6 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191006092204/https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/39854|archive-date=6 October 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 1983, now competing as Wendy Sly, she finished fifth in the finals of both the 1500 metres and the 3000 metres at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki. She ran her lifetime bests in both events, 4:04.14 in the 1500 m and 8:37.06 in the 3000 m. Also that year, she won the IAAF World Women's Road Race Championships in San Diego contested over 10 km.
At her first Olympic Games in 1984 in Los Angeles, Sly won a silver medal in the 3000 metres, a race most remembered for the collision between Mary Decker and Zola Budd, with whom she had a strong rivalry. She ran a season's best of 8:39.47.
Sly represented England again in the 3,000 metres event, at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, finishing eighth.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edinburgh-1986/athletes|title=1986 Athletes|website=Team England|access-date=6 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821231001/https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edinburgh-1986/athletes|archive-date=21 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/games/3041/19/all|title=England team in 1986|website=Commonwealth Games Federation|access-date=6 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419153600/https://thecgf.com/results/games/3041/19/all|archive-date=19 April 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Sly became the British 3000 metre champion after winning the British WAAA Championships title at the 1987 WAAA Championships.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004941/19870726/536/0031 |title=Athletics |work=Sunday Express |date=26 July 1987 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=21 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=21 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/waaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (women) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=21 March 2025 }}</ref>
Sly finished eighth in the 1987 World Championships 3000 metres final in Rome. Then at her second Olympics in Seoul, she finished seventh in the 3000 metres final in 8:37.70, her fastest time in five years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.todor66.com/olim/1984/Athletics/index.html|title=ATHLETICS OLYMPIC GAMES LOS ANGELOS 1984|last=|first=|date=|website=|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015004510/http://todor66.com/olim/1984/Athletics/index.html|archive-date=15 October 2013|access-date=26 January 2014}}</ref>
Sly represented England in the 10,000 metres event at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand, but did not finish.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/auckland-1990/athletes|title=1990 Athletes|website=Team England|access-date=6 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821232849/https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/auckland-1990/athletes|archive-date=21 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/games/3042/19/all|title=England team in 1990|website=Commonwealth Games Federation|access-date=6 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404120931/https://thecgf.com/results/games/3042/19/all|archive-date=4 April 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
As of 2019, Sly still ranks in the UK all-time top 10 lists in the 3000 metres (9th with 8:37.06 1983), 10 km road (4th with 31:29 in 1983) and 15 km road (4th with 48:17 in 1985).
She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to athletics.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=61092|supp=y|page=N24|date=31 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/391413/New_Year_Honours_List_2015.pdf |title=2015 New Year Honours List |access-date=31 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102104907/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/391413/New_Year_Honours_List_2015.pdf |archive-date=2 January 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Personal life== She married middle-distance runner Chris Sly in 1982.<ref>[https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/11695713.sutton-based-olympic-medallist-wendy-sly-makes-new-year-honours-list/ Sutton-based Olympic medallist Wendy Sly makes New Year Honours list], ''Sutton and Croydon Guardian'', 31 December 2014</ref> In 1997, she had a son, Max Heath. In 2013, she married her long-term partner, Andrew, whom she met through working together for her former university colleague and friend Sebastian Coe.
==National titles== *1986 UK 3000 metres Champion *1987 AAA Championships 3000 metres Champion *1988 AAAs Indoor 3000 metres Champion
==International competitions== {| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}} |- |1978 |World Cross Country Championships |Glasgow, Scotland |43rd |4.7 km | |- |1981 |World Cross Country Championships |Madrid, Spain |65th |4.4 km | |- |1982 |Commonwealth Games |Brisbane, Australia |bgcolor="silver"| 2nd |3000 m |8:48.47 |- |rowspan=3|1983 |rowspan=2|World Championships |rowspan=2|Helsinki, Finland |5th |1500 m |4:04.14 |- |5th |3000 m |8:37.06 |- |World Women's Road Race Championships |San Diego, United States |bgcolor="gold"| 1st |10 km |32:23 |- |1984 |Olympic Games |Los Angeles, United States |bgcolor="silver"| 2nd |3000 m |8:39.47 |- |1986 |Commonwealth Games |Edinburgh, Scotland |8th |3000 m |9:14.04 |- |1987 |World Championships |Rome, Italy |8th |3000 m |8:45.85 |- |1988 |Olympic Games |Seoul, South Korea |7th |3000 m |8:37.70 |- |1990 |Commonwealth Games |Auckland, New Zealand |DNF |10,000 m |— |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{World Athletics||Wendy Sly}} <!-- link calls her Wendy Sly -->
{{Footer World Women's Road Race Champions}} {{Footer UK NC 3000 Metres Women}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith-Sly, Wendy}} Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:People from Hampton, London Category:Athletes from the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Category:English women middle-distance runners Category:British women middle-distance runners Category:English women long-distance runners Category:British women long-distance runners Category:English women cross country runners Category:British women cross country runners Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain Category:Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics Category:Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for England Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1982 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1986 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1990 Commonwealth Games Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire Category:Alumni of Loughborough University Category:IAAF World Women's Road Race Championships winners Category:Medallists at the 1982 Commonwealth Games Category:20th-century English sportswomen Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics