Marise Ann Millicent Chamberlain MNZM (born 5 December 1935) is a New Zealand former middle-distance runner. She is the only New Zealand woman to win an Olympic medal in track athletics (Lorraine Moller won a medal in the marathon). She set world records over 440 yards, 400 metres and 1 mile.[citation needed]

Marise Chamberlain
Chamberlain at the 1964 Olympics
Personal information
Born5 December 1935 (1935-12-05) (age 88)
Christchurch, New Zealand
Height1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight55 kg (121 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
Event800 m
ClubCanterbury
Achievements and titles
Personal best800 m – 2:01.4 (1962)[1]
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1964 Tokyo 800 metres
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place 1962 Perth 880 yards

At the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia, she won a silver medal over 880 yards, behind Australian Dixie Willis. Two years later, at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, she won the bronze medal[1][2] behind Ann Packer (gold) and Maryvonne Dupureur (silver), the top five runners beating the old Olympic record time set by Dupureur in the semifinals.[3]

At the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica Chamberlain stumbled just before the finish line when leading in the 880 yds final and missed out on a medal.

In the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours, Chamberlain was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to athletics.[4]

Chamberlain was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.

Honorific eponym edit

Chamberlain Place, in the Hamilton suburb of Chartwell, is named in Chamberlain's honour.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Marise Chamberlain. sports-reference.com
  2. ^ "Marise Chamberlain | New Zealand Olympic Committee". olympic.org.nz. 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
  3. ^ Athletics at the 1964 Tokyo Summer Games: Women's 800 metres. sports-reference.com
  4. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2003". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 June 2003. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  5. ^ "Honouring sportspeople". Waikato Times. 2 November 2012. p. 9.

External links edit

Records
Preceded by Women's mile world record holder
8 December 1962 – 13 May 1967
Succeeded by