uck iest ' ▁champions . ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁ ▁Mat he ws ▁attended ▁Fort ▁Street ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Sydney ▁and ▁began ▁compet ing ▁in ▁athlet ics ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 4 0 s . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁Australian ▁Championships , ▁she ▁placed ▁fourth , ▁behind ▁Sh ir ley ▁Str ick land , ▁in ▁the ▁ 8 0 ▁m ▁hur d les ▁and ▁ran ▁in ▁the ▁winning ▁state ▁relay ▁team , ▁but ▁was ▁not ▁selected ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁British ▁Empire ▁Games ▁team . ▁ ▁A ▁few ▁days ▁after ▁her ▁ 1 6 th ▁birth day ▁at ▁the ▁NS W ▁Championships , ▁she ▁ran ▁a ▁great ▁race ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁Championships ▁ 1 0 0 ▁yards ▁final , ▁placing ▁second ▁to ▁world ▁record - holder ▁Mar jor ie ▁Jackson ▁and ▁be ating ▁four ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁Empire ▁Games ▁team , ▁including ▁Olympic ▁medal ist ▁Str ick land . ▁ ▁Mat he ws ▁was ▁considered ▁a ▁certain ty ▁to ▁gain ▁selection ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁before ▁a ▁leg ▁injury ▁forced ▁her ▁out ▁of ▁competition . ▁ ▁International ▁career ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁recovered ▁from ▁her ▁inj uries , ▁she ▁ran ▁second ▁to ▁Jackson ▁in ▁the ▁National ▁ 1 0 0 ▁yards ▁championship ▁( and ▁third ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 2 0 ▁yards ) ▁and ▁was ▁d uly ▁selected ▁to ▁run ▁in ▁her ▁first ▁international ▁champion ships ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 4