Mary Rand, first British woman to win athletics Olympic gold, dies aged 86 as tributes pour in

Her long jump victory in the Japanese capital made her Britain's first female Olympic gold medal winner in athletics.

She jumped into a 1.6m headwind on a rain-soaked track, leaping 6.76m on her fifth attempt to break the world record and claim gold as the first British woman Olympic champion in track and field.

As tributes pour in, her former roommate and fellow Olympian, Ann Packer, said: "She was as good as athletes get.

"There has never been anything like her since. And I don't believe there ever will."

Mrs Rand was hailed for her personality and looks, with her unique 1960s look.

She was dubbed the "Marilyn Monroe on spikes" by a journalist and even caught the eye of Rolling Stones lead, Mick Jagger, who said the Olympian was his dream date.

She was voted as the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1964, after her Olympic success and was awarded an MBW in the following year's New Year Honours.

Despite her success, Mrs Rand found her sporting talent did not bring in much income - before the Tokyo games, the athletics legend worked in the postal department of a Guinness factory in London for £10 a week.

She said on her hardship: "We weren't allowed to earn money from athletics or get sponsorship.

"People are always surprised when I tell them I have had to work my entire life."

In her defining games, Tokyo 1964, Mrs Rand also went on to win silver in the inaugural women's pentathlon - narrowly beaten by Irina Press, whose biological sex was later subject of significant speculation.

She also won bronze as part of the 4x100 relay team, becoming the first British woman to win three medals in a single Olympic games.

On top of this, she was only 24 at the time and had a young daughter to look after.

In the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Jamaica, Mrs Rand also won long jump gold.

However, the athlete unfortunately tore her achilles tendon before the 1968 Mexico Olympic games and was forced into retirement at 28.

She also held the unofficial world record in the triple jump from 1959 to 1981 as the women's event was recognised by the athletics' governing body until 1990.

In total, she won 12 national Women's Amateur Athletic Association Championship titles across long jump, high jump, spring hurdles and pentathlon.

Team GB's X account posted: "Team GB is saddened to hear of the death of Olympic champion Mary Rand.

"Rand made history at the Tokyo 1964 Olympics, where she became the first British woman to win three medals at one Games.

"Rand broke the world record as she won long jump gold, alongside pentathlon silver and bronze in the 4x100m relay.

"She was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1964 and and awarded an MBE in 1965."