BOSTON — The Boston University Department of Athletics is saddened to learn of the recent passing of two-time Olympian and BU Hall of Famer Sharon Colyear-Danville (MET'83).
A Manchester, England, native, Colyear-Danville was one of the most dominant athletes to grace the track for the Terriers and earned her place in the BU Athletic Hall of Fame as a first-ballot inductee in 1988.
Indoors, she excelled in the 55-meter dash, the 55-meter hurdles and the 200-meter dash, while also running the 4x400-meter relay. On the outdoor track, she dominated in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles as well as the 4x100-meter relay and the sprint medley relay. Colyear-Danville still holds the school records in three hurdles events (55, 60, 100) and they are the longest-standing records in program history.
While competing for the Terriers at the 1980 AIAW Indoor Track & Field Championships, Colyear-Danville set a women's United Kingdom mark in the 60-meter hurdles. She ran a record time of 8.22 in her semifinal heat and eventually placed second in the finals to earn All-America honors.
Colyear-Danville won 13 Greater Boston and New England individual titles for the Terriers. Internationally, she competed in the 1976 and 1984 Olympic Games for Great Britain, advancing to the semifinals of the 100-meter hurdles and the quarterfinals of the 100 meters at the 1976 Games in Montreal. On top of that, she won gold and bronze medals in the 1978 Commonwealth Games and competed at the European Championships the same year.
After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1993, Colyear-Danville still flourished professionally in her real estate career as a developer and builder in Connecticut and Atlanta. She also became an avid golfer, establishing an 8 handicap while capturing eight women's club championships.
Colyear-Danville also raised awareness and supported women's ovarian cancer organizations. She acted as a golf tournament director on several occasions and raised over $86,000 for Women's Cancer Care. In total through the years, over $1 million has been raised or donated in her name to the American Cancer Society and other ovarian cancer organizations.
Colyear-Danville was married for 43 years to fellow BU Hall of Famer Bob Danville (MET'82) and had two sons, Reid and Neil Danville. Neil went on to become an All-American in track & field at Auburn. Following her athletic footsteps, she also leaves behind six grandchildren to carry her torch.
The BU indoor track & field season begins every year with a meet dedicated to Colyear-Danville and a banner hangs in the Track & Tennis Center to honor her accomplishments.
This year's Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener will take place this Saturday (Dec. 7) beginning at 10 a.m. and will include numerous All-Americans from across the country. Bob, Reid and Neil Danville will be in attendance to honor Sharon's legacy.
