Quita Shivas

Although born Isobel Blanche Armitage Shivas, she was affectionately known from an early age as Quita after her mother used to sing the song “Maquita” to her as a youngster. She grew up in Aberdeen and Quita’s chartered accountant father Andrew was a founder member of the Aberdeen Magical Society. He was a magician and ventriloquist, and it is thought that he performed for the young princesses Elizabeth and Margaret at Balmoral Castle. Quita was educated at Aberdeen High School for Girls and soon showed a great talent on the athletics track. She was also competent at hockey and golf, but it was as an athlete that she gained her full Blue in 1946. She won the 200 metres silver medal at the 1947 Paris World Student Games and went one better at the 1951 Games in Luxembourg by winning the 100 metres gold in record time. In between, she equalled the Scottish native record of 11.4 for the 100 and, at the 1951 Scottish Universities Championships, set an all-comers’ record of 11.2 for the 100 and a native record 12.2 for the 80 metres hurdles. It was a record that stood for seven years.

Having finished third in the WAAA 60 metres in 1948, she won the title in 1950, when she was also second to June Foulds in the 100 yards. In the same event two years later, she again finished second, but this time to Heather Armitage. Having been considered for selection for the 1948 Olympics, she did make the trip to Helsinki in 1952 but was eliminated in her opening heat in the 100 metres.

Shivas graduated as a doctor from Aberdeen in 1951 and moved to London to work at Hammersmith Hospital. At the same time, she continued her running career at Spartan Ladies Athletics Club. After retiring from competitive athletics, she trained as a GP at the village of Insch, Scotland. She also qualified as an anaesthetist, based at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Shivas was a at one-time the vice-president of the University of Aberdeen Athletic Association and was also in the Scottish University Athletic Union for several years, and was its women’s captain in 1949. Her daughter Judith followed her and also went to Aberdeen, becoming a hockey Blue.

Personal Best: 100 – 12.4 (1952).