By David Martin, PA Sport

Anne Packer had possibly the shortest athletics career of any Olympic gold medallist, retiring immediately after winning the 1964 Olympic 800 metres gold medal.

An athlete who began her career as a sprinter, hurdler and long jumper, Packer actually travelled to Tokyo hoping to win her favourite event over 400 metres.

But the awesome Australian Betty Cuthbert, winner of a sprint double on home territory in the 1956 Melbourne Games, pushed her into silver medal slot by winning a thrilling finish to the one lap circuit by inches in 52 seconds, with Packer setting a superb European record of 52.2sec.

Packer, who shared a room in the Olympic village with her great friend Mary Rand who had been wearing the long jump gold medal around her neck for six days before the 800 final, immediately turned her attention to that distance.

But Packer had only raced that distance on five occasions and had a very ordinary best performance of 2min 05.3sec.

But all that was to change in the Japanese capital.

Accused of possibly losing the 400m by expending too much energy in preliminary races, Packer listened carefully to the advice of coach Dennis Watts and husband-to-be Robbie Brightwell, the men's team captain who himself just missed an individual 400m medal but claimed a silver in the 4x400m relay.

In her heat she was fifth in 2min 12.6sec as Frenchwoman Maryvonne Dupureur blazed an early glory trail by running 2min 04.5sec.

Again in her semi-final Packer ran a conservative 2min 06.0sec with Dupureur clocking another quick 2min 04.5sec.

In the final Packer stood on the start line the slowest of eight contestants and having ran the distance also for only that number of times.

Brightwell was trackside offering his love and support and Packer - still today a very fit 58-year-old - responded to the encouragement.

As the pack passed the bell in 59.1sec, Packer was lying sixth literally two strides behind the fast starting Dupureur, who passed the half distance in 58.6sec.

With 200m to run she had moved into third position as the French star drew away from the field.

On the crown of the final bend Packer had moved up another position.

But Dupureur had opened a leading margin of almost five metres and it seemed the gold medal was almost certainly going across the English Channel.

But then Packer, switching her style, used the sprinting speed which five years earlier had seen her crowned English Schools 100m champion.

The gap on the leader closed - then a vacuum almost on the finishing - became evident as the Briton breezed past her rival with a huge winning smile, telling the packed stadium she was Olympic 800 metres champion.

Not only had Packer won the gold medal she also set a new world record of 2min 01.1sec ahead of the gallant Dupureur, with New Zealand's Marise Chamberlain finishing third in 2min 02.8sec.

The Berkshire-born woman promptly retired and in due course gave birth to two sons who pursued professional football careers with Manchester City.