At the 1948 London Olympics, Strickland won bronze in the 100m and 80m hurdles, and silver in the 4x100m relay.
At the 1948 London Olympics, Shirley Strickland began her Olympic medal collection, winning bronze medals in both the 100 metres and 80 metres hurdles, and a silver medal as part of the Australian 4x100m relay team.
These were the first Games held after World War II, and competing at the highest level as a young Australian woman represented a significant achievement given the disruption the war had caused to sporting careers and international competition. Strickland's performance in London announced her as one of the finest sprint-hurdlers in the world.
This marked the beginning of an Olympic career that would span three Games (1948, 1952, 1956) and yield a total of seven Olympic medals, a total unmatched by an Australian woman for decades. Her success in London also helped elevate the profile of women's track and field in Australia, inspiring future generations of female athletes in a period when women's participation in elite sport was still fighting for legitimacy and equal recognition.