Raelene Boyle

by Garry Linnell

The candid memoir from one of Australia's greatest track and field athletes who brought audiences to their feet for more than 14 years of international competition. Raelene, whose refusal to use drugs in the 1970s cost her several Olympic gold medals as she ran against athletes later found to be drug cheats, details her battles to beat breast and ovarian cancer, as well as her ongoing fight to overcome severe depression.

320 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2003

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid read and different from the usual sport biography fare. Boyle met with a lot of adversity in her career (some of it self inflicted, other issues like coming up against drug cheats and wrongful DQs more out of her control) but the book really makes an impact going into her candid descriptions of her various health battles.

Written in 2003 when there was nowhere near the exposure for people living with cancer (especially breast cancer) as there is today, Boyle cuts a raw and honest figure. Same goes for her talk of depression and a brief but vivid description of a planned suicide.

A very ‘moreish’ book and easy to plough through the pages. One of the better sport bios I’ve read.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

All aspiring athletes & sports men and women should read this

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring read...we have so much in common!