Valerie Young

Valerie Young

OBE

Young (right) with Marise Chamberlain at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Personal information
Born	(1937-08-10) 10 August 1937 Ashburton, New Zealand
Height	180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	75 kg (165 lb)
Sport
Country	New Zealand
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Shot put, discus throw
Achievements and titles
National finals	Discus champion (1957–1958, 1961–1966, 1972–1973, 1975–1982) Shot put champion (1956–1966, 1972–1974, 1979–1981) Pentathlon champion (1958, 1963)
Personal best(s)	SP – 17.26 m (1964) DT – 53.77 m (1962)
Medal record Representing New Zealand Commonwealth Games 1958 Cardiff Shot put 1962 Perth Shot put 1962 Perth Discus 1966 Kingston Shot put 1966 Kingston Discus 1974 Christchurch Shot put 1958 Cardiff Discus

Young at the 1979 NZ Championships

Valerie Isobel Marie Young OBE (née Sloper, born 10 August 1937) is a former athlete from New Zealand. She competed at the 1958, 1962, 1966, and 1974 Commonwealth Games, and won seven medals in the shot put and discus throw. She retired after the 1966 games to have a family, but went back into training when the 1974 Games were allocated to Christchurch. She also competed at the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Summer Olympics, and went to the 1976 and 1984 games as an official (chaperone). She placed fourth in the shot put in 1960 and 1964, and fifth in 1956.

Young won the most gold medals (5) of any New Zealand competitor at the Commonwealth Games. At the national level, she has won more New Zealand titles, 37, than any other athlete, including 18 in the discus and 17 in the shot put. She also won the pentathlon title twice, in 1958 and 1963.

In the 1987 New Year Honours, Young was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to athletics.

Further reading

• Athletes at the Games by John Clark, pages 155–158 (1998, Athletics New Zealand) ISBN 0473-05498-1

External links

• Valerie Young at the New Zealand Olympic Committee
• Valerie Young at Olympics.com
• Page with Photo at Sporting Heroes