Her speed, high level of fitness and total dedication made her an ideal relay team member. In this her tenacity and persistence paid off. Starting with her anchor leg role in the final of the 4x 400 metres at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, she helped her European Composite team to a silver medal in the 1977 World Cup and continued to perform at the highest level. This culminated in the relay gold medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton in a Games record time. Clearly reaching her peak, at the same games she triumphed with an individual gold in the 400 metres. In her final year of serious international athletic competition she anchored Great Britain to an extremely hard fought bronze medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
Looking back Donna speaks with affection of the many places she was fortunate enough to visit, of the camaraderie of her team members and the respect of her opponents. Understandably she contrasts the freedoms of (for example) the Canadian venues in which she competed with the austerity and relative harshness of Soviet Union countries. But just as her travels left vivid impressions and a host of memories that she regards as a great privilege, so when Achilles problems brought the competitive running to an end she was able to shift her career into areas directly related to fitness and physical development.
Although already beginning to establish herself as a fitness professional specialising in aerobics, a chance exposure to the possibilities of competitive body building led on to a most distinguished second competitive career. So much so that in a three year period she won the Miss Great Britain trophy and came second in Miss Universe on two occasions. She explains that “I had the shoulders and leg strength that gave me a good start” but there was clearly a transfer of dedication from competitive running to a very different kind of competition. Interestingly she contrasts the dietary requirements of the two activities. As she puts it “a fit young runner in full training could eat almost anything and lots of it” whereas she obviously has less fond memories of the bland diet necessary to ensure that she was effectively “ripped” to meet the demands of her new sport.
The Donna Hartley MBE of today is a consummate professional. Her involvement in Gyms and Fitness Centres in the Sheffield area including the well-known West Street Workout and Pine Grove Country Club has allowed her to develop management and motivational skills layered on top of her technical skills in fitness training and physical development.
Her current post at Tankersley Manor in a beautifully designed fitness centre created by Marston Hotels as a valuable and increasingly well appreciated addition to a top-ranking hotel appears to fit her extremely well. At the Reflections Fitness Club and Spa she manages an enthusiastic young staff in a facility that includes a state of the art gym with all the equipment you could possibly need to tone, strengthen, build up or simply generally improve bodily well-being. Reflections also includes an extremely well appointed pool, Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna all topped off with a very pleasant lounge area.
Donna is characteristically complimentary not only about her own staff but also about the support from the management and staff of Tankersley Manor. As she puts it “what I appreciate so much is that we all work together as a team throughout the hotel including Reflections.” It is apparent from the response of fellow members of Reflections that Donna has been very successful at communicating her enthusiasm to even the most hesitant new member. What I really enjoy she says “is seeing people change from being often slightly intimidated by the whole idea of improving their fitness to involvement and then on to enjoyment”. Your humble editor can certainly testify to that – as although I am by no means Mr Universe – I have certainly benefited from the high quality facilities and ever-present encouragement.
Asked for some general advice to our middle-aged readers interested in improving overall fitness levels, Donna makes the following points: “Anyone over 50 should become aware of the loss of muscle tone and (especially for ladies) reduction in bone density. But this can be halted and even reversed.
Regular light weight bearing exercise can help enormously to not only work specific muscles but importantly, get the blood pumping and improve circulation.
Most people can benefit from back strengthening exercises. Light exercise, three times per week for at least 40 minutes will undoubtedly increase life-span.”
Donna’s own fitness regime in a busy life includes three twenty-minute gym sessions and as much other physical exercise as she can fit in each week. This almost certainly does not include the classes she so enjoys conducting and which are part of a range of classes on offer at Reflections.
A Yorkshire person by adoption and married to well-known comedian Bobby Knutt, Southampton–born Donna now living in Elsecar, in the heart-land of Around Barnsley territory, has a great deal of affection for Yorkshire and Yorkshire people.
As we concluded the interview and Donna moved smartly on the next appointment in a busy day she enjoyed telling me a story about how she had recently responded to a mini-crisis by rolling up her sleeves and getting stuck in to solve the problem herself. This is one smart lady with no airs and graces. She is very pleased to be with Tankersley Manor and I have the strong feeling that this is reciprocated. Donna is happy doing what she is doing and we all benefit.
My interview almost coincided with Donna leaving on a holiday to celebrate her 50th birthday. She looks about 38 and is the best possible advert for her own profession!
Published Summer 2005. All information correct at time of print
Up to now all the people interviewed for Around Barnsley have been men. They have also been individuals who I had not had the pleasure of meeting previously. Meeting with Donna obviously allowed me to meet my first lady but also with someone I had met before albeit only quite recently.
