Eve Rimmer

Eva Marion "Eve" Rimmer née Davies (3 April 1937 – 23 November 1996) was a New Zealand Paralympic athlete. She was born in Whanganui, New Zealand and became one of New Zealand's greatest paraplegic athletes, winning 32 medals – including 22 gold medals – for athletics and swimming at international sporting events. This made up for her poor academic credentials. As soon as she was old enough she left school. In 1952 at age fifteen, Eve was left paralysed from the waist down when the vehicle she was in crashed on a dark wet night. This life changing experience did not prevent Eve Rimmer from becoming one of the best athletes in the world. She went on to be a multi-medal winner in shot put, javelin, pentathlon, discus, swimming and archery, In 1973 she received the British Empire Medal. She gave many paraplegics throughout the world the ability to believe that they could achieve anything they wanted to.

Representations Eve the world's leading paraplegic field events athlete in action at Stoke Mandeville – the shot, the javelin, the discus. Two golds and a bronze at the home of para sport. The medal presentation at the Stoke Mandeville international para games in 1972. Eve Rimmer was the first woman selected to represent New Zealand at the Paralympics.

Achievements As well as winning many Paralympic and Commonwealth medals, Eve Rimmer has been honoured for her many achievements including being named the Bay of Plenty Sportsperson of the Year in 1992. She was the founder of the Disabilities Resource Centre in Whakatāne and was the organiser of the 1990 Games for Disabled in Whakatāne, an event which has grown into the Eve Rimmer Games held Easter weekend every two years. In 1990, Eve was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame due to her domination in paraplegic sport over the years. Rimmer was also runner up for the New Zealand Sportsman of the year title in 1972. In the 1973 New Year Honours, Rimmer was awarded the British Empire Medal, for services to paraplegics. Eve was a very big influence on sports in Whakatāne and the Council honoured her by naming a sports ground after her. The Eve Rimmer Park is used for rugby league, netball and bmx.