Rona Tong

Rona Iris McCarthy (née Tong, 22 August 1916 – 31 January 2016) was a New Zealand track and field athlete who won a bronze medal at the 1938 British Empire Games.

Early life and family Born in Hastings on 22 August 1916, McCarthy was the daughter of funeral director Charles Oswald Tong and Florence Susannah Tong (née Jarden). She was educated at Hastings High School and then worked in the dressmaking trade. and went on to represent her country in the same event at the British Empire Games in Sydney the following year. She finished third in the final, 0.1 seconds behind the winner, Barbara Burke from South Africa.

Other sports McCarthy represented Hawke's Bay in both netball and basketball and was selected to play for New Zealand. However, planned internationals against Australia never took place. She was inducted into the Hawke's Bay sporting legends hall of fame in 2007.

Later life and death McCarthy was widowed by the death of her husband in 1993.