Yvette Williams

Dame Yvette Winifred Corlett (née Williams; 25 April 1929 – 13 April 2019) was a New Zealand track-and-field athlete who was the first woman from her country to win an Olympic gold medal and to hold the world record in the women's long jump. Williams was named "Athlete of the Century" on the 100th anniversary of Athletics New Zealand, in 1987. She grew up there and attended Otago Girls' High School.

Athletics career Williams joined the Otago Athletic Club in early 1947, mainly for social reasons. She went on to win 21 national titles across 5 disciplines: shot put (1947–54), javelin (1950), discus (1951–54), long jump (1948–54) and the 80 m hurdles (1954). With 21 New Zealand titles, she is the joint second-most successful New Zealand female athlete at that level, with Beatrice Faumuina and Melissa Moon, behind Val Young (35 titles).

Jim Bellwood, who had moved to Dunedin in late 1947 or early 1948, became her trainer. When Bellwood moved to Auckland in 1952 to teach at Avondale College, Williams followed, boarding with an aunt and uncle in Devonport. Her winning leap of broke the national, Empire Games, and British Empire records. At the same competition, she also won the silver medal in the women's javelin,

In 1951 Williams jumped at a meet in Melbourne, At the time she ranked number one in world track and field history in the long jump, fifth in the pentathlon, 12th in the discus throw and 19th in the shot put. The couple had four children, including national basketball representative Neville Corlett; Auckland provincial rugby union player Peter Corlett, and Karen Corlett, who represented New Zealand in rhythmic gymnastics at the 1977 world championships.

Williams' younger brother, Roy Williams, won the decathlon at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica.

Williams died in Auckland on 13 April 2019 at the age of 89, 12 days before her 90th birthday.

Honours and awards Corlett, after her investiture as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit by the governor-general, Sir Anand Satyanand, in 2011In the 1953 New Year Honours, Williams was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services in women's athletics.

She was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to athletics in the 2011 New Year Honours.

Williams was twice named the New Zealand Sportsman of the Year, for 1950 and 1952. In 2000, she was voted Otago Sportsperson of the Century. Sports writer Peter Heidenstrom, author of the book Athletes of the Century, rates her as New Zealand's top athlete of the 20th century.

The "Yvette Williams Retirement Village" in the Dunedin suburb of Roslyn is named in her honour. In 2013, the New Zealand Olympic Committee, in association with the Glenn Family Foundation, established the Yvette Williams Scholarship, to assist young athletes displaying both exceptional talent and need.

In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours, Williams was posthumously promoted to Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to athletics; the Queen's approval of the honour took effect on 12 April, the day before Williams's death. She had been advised of the award before her death.