Ida Margaret Tosh (née George; born 13 September 1937) is a Canadian athlete.[1] She competed in the women's javelin throw at the 1956 Summer Olympics.[2] She continued to compete in athletics throughout her life, setting multiple records in Masters' events.[3][4][5]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Ida Margaret Tosh |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Born | 13 September 1937 Mervin, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | Javelin throw |
Biography
Margaret George was born in Mervin, Saskatchewan in 1937.[1] Living in a log cabin on a rural farm, George had to chop wood and walk nearly three miles to school each day.[1][6] As a child, she played soccer and fastball.[1] While in eighth grade, she began to take up field athletics.[1] Four years later, she set a new school record for the javelin throw, breaking the old record by 18 feet.[1] That throw got her enrolled in an athletics programme with the Young Women's Christian Association.[1] This would then lead to George being selected for the Canadian Olympic Training Program.[1] At the Olympic trials, George set a new Canadian record in the javelin which stood until 1964.[7]
At the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, George competed in the women's javelin throw, finishing in 16th place.[8]
Following the Olympics, George became a teacher and taught in Harris, Saskatchewan for three years, and married her husband, George Tosh.[1][3] For the next twenty years, Tosh became a coach and also trained other coaches.[1] Tosh went on to set multiple World Masters' records in several events including javelin, discus, shot put and the hammer throw.[3] In October 2012, Tosh was named the Canadian Masters Athlete of the Month for September, after setting two world records and six national records.[9] The following year, Tosh was bestowed with a Lifetime Achievement Award.[10] In September 2018, Tosh set six national and three world records.[11]
