| Betty Taylor | |
| Birth Name: | Elizabeth Madge Forbes |
| Birth Date: | 27 December 1916 |
| Spouse: | George Taylor |
| Country: | New Zealand |
| Sport: | Athletics |
| Nationals: | High jump champion (1939, 1940, 1941) |
| Show-Medals: | yes |
Elizabeth Madge Taylor (née Forbes; 27 December 1916 – 29 August 2002) was a New Zealand track and field athlete who competed at the 1938 British Empire Games, where she won the bronze medal in the women's high jump.
Born on 27 December 1916, Forbes was the daughter of Alexander Forbes and Elizabeth Herries Forbes (née McKenzie).[1] She was educated at Waitaki Girls' High School in Oamaru.[2]
Forbes came to national attention in 1933, when her application for the New Zealand women's high jump record, with a jump of 4feet was declined as the certificates were not received in time by the Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletics Association (NZAAA).[3] However, the following year, she recorded a height of 4feet at Dunedin on 3 February 1934 that was duly recognised as a national record.[4]
In February 1936, Forbes bettered her New Zealand record at the Otago track and field championships with a jump of 4feet,[5] but once again the NZAAA refused to ratify it as the application for the record was out of time.[6] She went on to increase the record to 4feet, and then broke the five-foot barrier with a leap of 5feet at Dunedin in November 1937.[7]
At the national trials in December 1937 for the New Zealand team to compete at the 1938 British Empire Games, Forbes increased her national mark by NaN1NaN1, recording a height of 5feet,[8] and she was subsequently confirmed in the team for the games in Sydney.[9] At those games, Forbes won the bronze medal in the women's high jump, with a height of 5feet, 1inches behind the gold medal winner, Dorothy Odam from England.[10]
Forbes went on to win the New Zealand national high jump title in 1939, 1940 and 1941.[11]
Forbes married George Taylor. She died on 29 August 2002.[12]