Valerie Young

Valerie Young
Young (right) at the 1958 Commonwealth Games
Personal information
Born (1937-08-10) 10 August 1937
Ashburton, New Zealand
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Weight 75 kg (165 lb)
Sport
Country New Zealand
Sport Track and field
Event(s) Shot put, discus throw
Achievements and titles
National finals Discus champion (1957–1958, 1961–1966, 1972–1973, 1975–1982)
Shot put champion (1956–1966, 1972–1974, 1979–1981)
Pentathlon champion (1958, 1963)
Personal best(s) SP – 17.26 m (1964)
DT – 53.77 m (1962)[1][2]
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Commonwealth Games
1958 CardiffShot put
1962 PerthShot put
1962 PerthDiscus
1966 KingstonShot put
1966 KingstonDiscus
1974 ChristchurchShot put
1958 CardiffDiscus

Valerie Isobel Marie Young OBE (née Sloper on 10 August 1937) is a former athlete from New Zealand. She competed at the 1958, 1962, 1966, and 1974 Commonwealth Games, and won seven medals in the shot put and discus throw. She retired after the 1966 games to have a family, but went back into training when the 1974 games were allocated to Christchurch. She also competed at the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Summer Olympics, and went to the 1976 and 1984 games as an official (chaperone). She placed fourth in the shot put in 1960 and 1964, and fifth in 1956.[1]

Young won the most gold medals (5) of any New Zealand competitor at the Commonwealth Games. At the national level, she has won more New Zealand titles, 37, than any other athlete, including 18 in the discus and 17 in the shot put. She also won the pentathlon title twice, in 1958 and 1963.[3]

In the 1987 New Year Honours, Young was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to athletics.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Valerie Sloper. sports-reference.com
  2. ↑ Valerie Young. trackfield.brinkster.net
  3. ↑ Hollings, Stephen (December 2016). "National champions 1887–2016" (PDF). Athletics New Zealand. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  4. ↑ "No. 50766". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1986. p. 34.
  • Athletes at the Games by John Clark, pages 155–158 (1998, Athletics New Zealand) ISBN 0473-05498-1
  • Valerie Young at the New Zealand Olympic Committee
  • Page with Photo at Sporting Heroes
  • Valerie Young at the International Olympic Committee
Awards
Preceded by
Don Oliver		 Lonsdale Cup of the New Zealand Olympic Committee
1966		 Succeeded by
Dave McKenzie



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