Jan Lothian

Aucklander Jan Lothian represented New Zealand in the 100m hurdles at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth games.

Lothian, born in 1949, cruised through her first round heat in 14.0s. She was 5th in her semi-final in 14.3s and so finished 9th equal overall. She’d have joined fellow New Zealanders Michelle Miles and Brenda Matthews in the final if she’d been able to repeat her heat time.

Lothian had an interesting time of it in national championships.

She won her first New Zealand title as Jan Mack in 1970. Four years later, Jan Lothian, as she was by then, added a second title when she dead heated with five times champion Brenda Matthews. In 1976 and 1977 Lothian extended her cache of national titles. In the 1976 championships, held in Auckland, she produced her personal best over the 100m hurdles – 13.90s.

She actually completed an unprecedented double at those championships, the year the women’s 400m hurdles was introduced. Lothian gamely lined up, though she’d been running the 100m hurdles for years and a full lap must have seemed like a middle-distance race to her. She covered the 400 metres in 62.03s, which not only made her the first national champion in the event, but also the first New Zealand record holder.

Jan married 1971 New Zealand decathlon champion, and future coach, Paul Lothian.