Sound file transcripts for Sport in New Zealand 1940–1960 exhibition

Transcript of Yvette Williams interview about her win at the Helsinki Olympics, 1952

In the morning we were required to reach a standard and I think it was only 17 feet 4, quite a small distance really, and I qualified by jumping 20 feet 2. In the afternoon, of course, I had two no-jumps and the Russian girl was leading with 20 feet 2 and a fraction. And in my third jump I managed to qualify for another three jumps which took me into the final. There are six athletes that go into the final for an extra three jumps and in my fourth jump I managed to reach 20 feet 5 and ¾ which gave me first place.

Interviewer. And what were your feelings when it was announced that you had won the event?

Oh! I was very excited, of course. Oh I don't know what I thought at the time!

[END]

Transcript of extract from 1954 Sports Mirror programme about Yvette Williams at the 1954 Commonwealth Games

Of the teams New Zealand has sent overseas to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, the 1954 team that went to Vancouver, Canada, was the most successful, winning seven gold medals, seven silver medals and five bronze medals. And as we had expected, New Zealand's most outstanding competitor was Yvette Williams who won the first event — the shot put — not previously included in the Games. So her shot of 44 feet 9 ½ inches (over 3 feet better than her nearest rival) creates, in itself, an Empire Games record.

Live Announcer: Yvette Williams, world record holder for the broad-jump, has now won the first final at the Canadian games. And she looked very happy as she jumped from the victory dais, which is a very good sign for her future events — the broad jump, the discus and the 80 metres hurdle.

Narrator: And that, as it happened, was a fair prophecy.

Although Yvette Williams failed to gain a place in the 80 metre hurdles final, she did come second in her heat in 11.3 seconds, a tenth of a second slower than the winner, Miss Desforges of England — and both times bettered the Empire Games record. However, in the final Yvette Williams could only gain sixth place with a time of 11.4.

But the other two events in which she was still to compete in were another story. The broadjump and the discus, both on the same day. In the broadjump, Yvette broke her own Empire Games record, jumping 19 feet 11 ½ inches — nearly 7 inches better than her record. And shortly afterwards, in the discus, she recorded 147 feet 8 inches which automatically became a record for the Games as this event too was included for the first time. Yvette Williams thus brings home to New Zealand three of our seven gold medals, a record for any New Zealander.

[END]

Winston McCarthy

And here is Clarke to take a long-range penalty kick for New Zealand. Seven yards inside halfway and I would say 12 yards from his right-hand touch line. Now he's got to kick into a bit of a breeze here. But for a man of his calibre that bit of a breeze might not matter if it doesn't go particularly high because they say a well-hit golf ball into the wind the wind never worries it. But back comes Clarke now. He moves up, he's kicking and it's a long one, listen, it's a goal!

Co-commentator: That's the one that does it, Winston.

Winston: It's a goal!

Co-commentator: That's the one that does it I think, and look at that crowd again!

Winston: The crowd is going absolutely crazy over on the bank, 11-0 to New Zealand.

[End]