Kate Hursthouse
Kate Hursthouse
Women in Sport
2018
Location: Gate F, Levels 1-4
Aotearoa became the first self-governing country to grant women the vote on 19 September 1893, after a petition received almost 32,000 signatures. New Zealand’s national stadium commemorated this by commissioning local artist Kate Hursthouse to create a mural to illustrate the successes of some of our most renowned sportswomen.
Kate Hursthouse
NZ’s First Female Olympic Medalist
Dame Yvette Winifred Williams DNZM, MBE
1929-2019
She was the running, jumping, throwing, and hurdling athlete of the early 1950s and New Zealand’s athlete of the century. Not only was she the first Kiwi to win a medal at an Olympic field event, but she also became New Zealand’s first female gold medallist. During her stellar career, she held the world record for the long jump for 18 months and won 21 national titles in shot put, long jump, discus, hurdles, and javelin which inspired generations of Kiwi female athletes. Williams (nee Cortlett) won a gold medal in the women’s long jump at the 1950 British Empire Games held here at Eden Park. At the same event, she won a silver medal in the women’s javelin.
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 Yvette’s death. She had been advised of the award before her death.
Kate Hursthouse
Women’s Rugby World Champion
Dame Farah Rangikoepa Palmer, DNZM
b. 1972
Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Waiora, Waikato, Ngāti Mahuta
Palmer was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2014 and was the first woman to be appointed to the board of New Zealand Rugby in 2016. In the same year, the Women’s Provincial Championship was renamed the Farah Palmer Cup in recognition of Palmer’s contributions to the sport and she became the first woman to be appointed to the board of New Zealand Rugby in its 124-year history. Palmer has played many of her career milestone games on Eden Park’s number one field and is a familiar face around the Park with her active involvement in the rugby community.
In the 2023 New Year Honours, Farah was promoted to Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to sport, particularly rugby.
Kate Hursthouse
Professional Tennis Player
Dame Ruia Mereana Morrison-Davey DNZM MBE
b. 1936
Te Arawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa
Regarded as one of New Zealand’s best tennis players, Ruia won 13 senior national titles and was the first New Zealand woman to play at Wimbledon, reaching the quarter-finals in 1957 and making the final 16 in 1958, 1959 and 1960. At her peak, she was ranked ninth in the world. Ruia was made a Member of the British Empire in 1960 for services to Māori people and New Zealand tennis. Ruia retired from tennis in 1982 after a 30-year competitive playing career.
In the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Ruia was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to tennis
“Everybody’s got gifts, it’s the passion with which you use them that counts.”- Ruia Morrison
Kate Hursthouse
Olympic Gold Medalist – Shot Put
Dame Valerie Kasanita Adams DNZM
b. 1984
Dame Valerie is New Zealand’s greatest female track and field athlete. Just six months after the birth of her daughter, Kimoana, Dame Valerie stood on the podium at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, adding a silver Commonwealth shot put medal to her three Olympic (two gold), four Commonwealth (three gold), four World Outdoor and three World Indoor championship medals. In 2014, she was named World Indoor International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Athlete of the Year – the first New Zealander to win the award.
Dame Valerie then went on to win her fourth Olympic Medal in July 2021 at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, winning a bronze medal.
Dame Valerie was New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year every year between 2006 and 2012, and won the Halberg Supreme Award three consecutive times from 2008. In 2017, she was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DNZM).
Kate Hursthouse
Olympic Gold Medalist And Rugby World Champion
Ruby Tui
b. 1991
Recognised for her exceptional skills, and commitment to rugby, Ruby Tui is a dynamic wāhine whose natural leadership qualities have seen her be part of a team that has won a Rugby World Cup, Commonwealth Games medal, several world series titles, and an Olympic silver and gold medal.
Ruby’s dedication to empowering young women in sports and promoting gender equality is inspiring. Equally noteworthy is her advocacy for mental health awareness.
2022 was a truly significant year for Ruby with the Black Ferns winning the Rugby World Cup title in front of a sold-out crowd at Eden Park and being awarded World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year for Women’s 15’s.
“They said nobody cares about women’s rugby, well guess what… we’re out here and we’re going nowhere”.
Kate Hursthouse
World Champion Kayaker
Dame Lisa Carrington, DNZM
b. 1989
Lisa Carrington was the first New Zealand woman to win multiple medals at the same Olympic Games. Carrington has represented New Zealand on the world stage for canoeing/kayaking with a count of six Olympic medals – five gold, one bronze under her belt. She has won Sportswoman of the Year at the prestigious Halberg Awards four times, and in 2016 she added the Halberg Supreme Award to her name. In 2021, she was named Halberg Sportswoman of the Decade and the most influential Māori Sports Personality of the past 30 years.
In 2022 Lisa was appointed a Dame Companion to the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to canoe racing.
Kate Hursthouse
Professional Cricket And Basketball Player
Suzie Bates
b. 1987
A multi-code professional sportswoman, Suzie represented New Zealand in the 2008 Beijing Olympics as part of the national women’s basketball team, the Tall Ferns. Bates took over the captaincy of the New Zealand women’s cricket team, the WHITE FERNS in 2011 and led the team to multiple finals in ICC tournaments. Bates was named the T20I Cricketer of the Year in 2016 as well as the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2013 and 2016. Bates has frequently played on Eden Park’s pitches throughout her professional cricketing career and is considered one of the country’s premiere sportswomen.
Kate Hursthouse
Women’s Rugby World Champion
Fiao’o Fa’amausilix
b. 1980
Regarded as one of the world’s leading hookers and most successful captains. Fiao’o Fa’amausili is a four-time Women’s Rugby World Cup winner, all time Black Ferns appearances record holder. New Zealand rugby womans player of the year in 2011 and was the first woman to play 100 games for one province, with multiple provincial titles to her name with the Auckland Storm.
In 2018 she was made an officer of NZ Order of Merit (ONZM) for service to rugby.
Fiao’o Fa’amausili is the first Black Fern to reach the 50-game milestone and was elected as the Auckland Rugby Union’s first female President in 2021. Fa’amausili has a long-standing history with Eden Park.
