Marise Chamberlain
Marise Ann Millicent Chamberlain MNZM (born 5 December 1935) is a New Zealand former middle-distance runner. She is the only New Zealand woman to win an Olympic medal in track athletics (Lorraine Moller won a medal in the marathon). She set world records over 440 yards, 400 metres and 1 mile.
Chamberlain at the 1964 Olympics | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 5 December 1935 (age 88) Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Height | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Weight | 55 kg (121 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | 800 m |
| Club | Canterbury |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best | 800 m – 2:01.4 (1962)[1] |
Medal record | |
At the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia, she won a silver medal over 880 yards, behind Australian Dixie Willis. Two years later, at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, she won the bronze medal[1][2] behind Ann Packer (gold) and Maryvonne Dupureur (silver), the top five runners beating the old Olympic record time set by Dupureur in the semifinals.[3]
At the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica Chamberlain stumbled just before the finish line when leading in the 880 yds final and missed out on a medal.
In the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours, Chamberlain was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to athletics.[4]
Chamberlain was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.
Honorific eponym
Chamberlain Place, in the Hamilton suburb of Chartwell, is named in Chamberlain's honour.[5]
References
- Marise Chamberlain. sports-reference.com
- "Marise Chamberlain | New Zealand Olympic Committee". olympic.org.nz. 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
- Athletics at the 1964 Tokyo Summer Games: Women's 800 metres. sports-reference.com
- "Queen's Birthday honours list 2003". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 June 2003. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- "Honouring sportspeople". Waikato Times. 2 November 2012. p. 9.