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Walker, Angela, (Olympic gymnast),

Ideals are like stars : the Dame Yvette Williams story / Dame Yvette Williams story : ideals are like stars Angela Walker - Auckland, New Zealand : David Bateman, 2022. - 232 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm

"The first New Zealand woman to win an Olympic gold medal, a feat not repeated for forty years. Ideals Are Like Stars is the remarkable true story of Yvette Williams, a trailblazing young athlete who defied the odds to win gold in the long jump at the Helsinki Olympics in 1952. Ignoring the pressure to abandon her dreams and become a housewife, Yvette's sports career is a highlight reel of newly set records which propelled her into the spotlight. Well-known for her rigorous training, down-to-earth nature and sense of humour, Yvette was the epitome of the Kiwi sporting hero; humble, hardworking and dedicated; who won the hearts of the nation. To this day she is regarded as a national treasure and her story is destined to inspire many young Kiwi athletes to follow in her wake. Author Angela Walker has written a remarkably intimate narrative account of the life of one of our nation's finest athletes. Angela, who herself competed at the Olympics (Seoul) 36 years after Yvette, has drawn on never-before-seen diaries, as well as interviews with the late Kiwi icon to recreate the day-to-day world of Yvette on the page. This is a long overdue celebration of an extraordinary sporting life and a highly engaging chronicle of a young woman's quest for excellence."--Publisher's website.

ISBN: 9781776890279

Subjects--Personal Names:
Williams, Yvette, 1929-2019.

Subjects--Topical Terms:
Track and field athletes--New Zealand--Biography.
Broad jump.

LC Class. No.: GV1073.15.W5 / W35 2022

Dewey Class. No.: 796.42