Olympic Gold Medallist Honoured with Freedom of the City of London

The Freedom of the City of London has been conferred upon an Olympic gold medallist. Lady Mary Peters, who secured the Olympic pentathlon title for Great Britain at the 1972 summer Games in Munich, Germany, subsequently devoted her efforts to aiding young athletes in Northern Ireland. This ancient distinction, the Freedom of the City, first awarded in 1237, was bestowed upon her in acknowledgment of her remarkable athletic accomplishments and philanthropic contributions. Lady Mary expressed that it was a “privilege to receive this ancient and illustrious accolade.” According to the City of London Corporation, Freedoms are granted to commend individuals for their impact on London or public life, or to commemorate a highly significant achievement. Her nomination for the award came from Professor Michael Mainelli and Sir William Russell, both former Lord Mayors of London. A ceremony held at Guildhall on Friday served to honour her. Lady Mary stated, “Over 50 years ago, I said that I’d brought back my gold medal for the people of Northern Ireland and now, I’m honoured both personally and on behalf of everyone back home to accept the Freedom of the City of London.” Her athletic career also included winning shot put and pentathlon medals for Northern Ireland across three Commonwealth Games, establishing approximately 25 British records, and serving as the GB women’s athletics team manager from 1979 to 1984, a period that encompassed the Moscow and Los Angeles Olympics. The Mary Peters Trust was founded by her in Belfast in 1975, offering financial support to young athletes in both disabled and able-bodied sports to foster their progression in their selected disciplines. Her contributions have been acknowledged through various honours, such as her appointments as MBE, Dame Commander of the British Empire, and a Lady Companion of The Most Noble Order of the Garter. Professor Mainelli remarked that Lady Mary had secured her place in sporting history not only through her achievements but also through her efforts in supporting and motivating young athletes. He commented, “Such hard and committed work, both on and away from the athletics track, is eminently worthy of recognition and our admiration.” Sir William Russell stated that the freedom award was “richly deserved, not just for Mary’s sporting achievements, but also for her charitable work with young people who have been inspired by her and want to achieve their own goals.” Among other prominent recent recipients of the Freedom of the City of London are Professor Sir Chris Whitty, England’s Chief Medical Officer; Giles Terera, the actor and musician from Hamilton; and Harry Kane, captain of the England football team.