Yvette Williams facts for kids
Williams in 1954
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Birth name | Yvette Winifred Williams | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 25 April 1929 Dunedin, New Zealand |
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| Died | 13 April 2019 (aged 89) Auckland, New Zealand |
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| Height | 1.75 metres (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse(s) |
Charles Armistice Corlett
(m. 1954; died 2015) |
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| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Jim Bellwood | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 1954 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National finals | Long jump champion (1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954) Shot put champion (1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954) Discus champion (1951, 1952, 1953, 1954) Javelin champion (1950) 80 m hurdles champion (1954) |
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| Personal best(s) | 200 m – 25.0 (1951) LJ – 6.28 m (1954) SP – 13.96 m (1954) DT – 47.85 m (1954) |
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Medal record
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Dame Yvette Corlett (born Yvette Williams; 1929–2019) was an amazing New Zealand athlete. She was the first woman from New Zealand to win an Olympic gold medal. She also held the world record in the women's long jump. In 1987, she was named "Athlete of the Century" by Athletics New Zealand.
Contents
Early Life and Sports
Yvette Williams was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, on April 25, 1929. She grew up there and went to Otago Girls' High School. Yvette was very good at many sports during her school years.
- She played for the top netball team.
- She also played basketball for Otago, the South Island, and even New Zealand.
Athletics Journey
Yvette joined the Otago Athletic Club in 1947. She quickly became famous when she won the shot put at the New Zealand championships. She went on to win 21 national titles in five different sports:
- Shot put (1947–1954)
- Javelin (1950)
- Discus (1951–1954)
- Long jump (1948–1954)
- 80-meter hurdles (1954)
Her 21 national titles make her one of New Zealand's most successful female athletes ever. Only Val Young has won more.
Working with a Coach
Jim Bellwood became Yvette's coach in 1947 or 1948. When he moved to Auckland in 1952, Yvette followed him. She wanted to keep training with him.
International Success
Yvette was not chosen for the 1948 Olympic Games, which was a surprise to many. However, she soon showed her talent.
- In 1950, she won the long jump gold medal at the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland. Her jump of 5.91 meters set new records.
- She also won a silver medal in the javelin throw at the same games.
In 1951, Yvette made a long jump of 6.13 meters in Australia. This was one of the best jumps ever by a woman at that time. She also broke New Zealand records in shot put and discus.
Olympic Gold and World Record
At the 1952 New Zealand championships, Yvette became the first woman to jump over 6 meters more than once. Her winning long jump was 6.29 meters.
- In 1952, Yvette won the gold medal in the long jump at the Helsinki Olympics. Her jump of 6.24 meters was a new Olympic record!
- She also placed sixth in the shot put and tenth in the discus throw at those Olympics.
In February 1954, Yvette broke the women's long jump world record. She jumped 6.28 meters in Gisborne, New Zealand.
Later in 1954, she went to the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver. She won three more gold medals:
- Long jump
- Discus
- Shot put
All these wins were new Empire Games records. She also finished sixth in the 80-meter hurdles.
Yvette retired from athletics in November 1954. At that time, she was ranked number one in the world for the long jump.
Personal Life
Yvette Williams married Buddy Corlett on December 11, 1954. Buddy was also a national basketball player. They had four children together.
- Their son Neville played national basketball.
- Their son Peter played rugby.
- Their daughter Karen represented New Zealand in gymnastics.
Yvette's younger brother, Roy Williams, was also a successful athlete. He won the decathlon at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
Buddy Corlett passed away in 2015. Yvette Corlett died in Auckland on April 13, 2019, at the age of 89.
Awards and Recognition
Yvette Corlett received many awards for her amazing sports career:
- In 1953, she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
- In 2011, she became a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM).
- She was named the New Zealand Sportsman of the Year twice, in 1950 and 1952.
- In 1990, she was added to the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.
- In 2000, people in Otago voted her their Sportsperson of the Century.
A retirement village in Dunedin, the "Yvette Williams Retirement Village," is named after her. The New Zealand Olympic Committee also created the Yvette Williams Scholarship. This helps young, talented athletes who need support.
In 2019, Yvette was given an even higher honor. She was posthumously promoted to Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DNZM). This award was approved just before she passed away.
See also
- New Zealand Olympic medallists
