Everyone at Ulster Hockey is saddened to learn of the passing of Thelma McLernon (Nee Hopkins), aged 88.
Thelma was an outstanding athlete both on the hockey pitch and in athletics, representing Ireland 41 times between 1953 and 1965 before being inducted into the Irish Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006.
Educated at at Victoria College Belfast she also represented Victorians Ladies Hockey Club and Ulster until she left to live in Canada in 1966.
A talented high jumper, she was born in Kingston Upon Hull in 1936 before moving to Northern Ireland, earned her first Northern Ireland senior titles as a 15-year-old in 1951 when she won both the high jump and long jump.
Three years later, she clinched high jump gold and long jump silver when representing Northern Ireland at the then Empire Games in Vancouver.
Hopkins broke the high jump world record on 5 May 1956 when leaping 1.74m at the Cherryvale Playing Fields in Belfast and six months later, the then 20-year-old athlete took Olympic Games silver in Melbourne as part of the Great Britain team.
Whilst her world record was eventually broken, it took until 2013 for her Northern Irish record to be beaten.
Everyone at Ulster Hockey sends their condolences to the family and friends of Thelma at what is sure to be a difficult time.