Sylvia Mildred Potts ONZM (née Oxenham, 19 September 1943 – 31 August 1999) was a New Zealand middle-distance athlete who represented her country at two Commonwealth and one Olympic Games.
She memorably fell two metres from the finish of the 1500 m final at the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh while leading the race.
Born in Palmerston North in 1943,[2] Potts was educated at Freyberg High School, where she was head girl.
[1][2][6] She represented New Zealand at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, where she finished sixth in the semi-finals of the 800 m with a time of 2:07.02.
[3][8] In the 1998 Queen's Birthday Honours, Potts was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to athletics.