NZ Discus Thrower.

 Date of birth?-23 rd October  Where was she born?- in Auckland.  What is her age now?- 40, turning 41 this year.  Where did she grow up?-she grew up in Auckland, attending Linfield college.  Did anything eventful happen?- yes, Beatrice was a support cast in the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

 In 1993 when she was 18 she set the first her of 11 NZ discus records, with a 55.20m throw.  1997 World Champs in Athens she won gold which made her the first New Zealander to win a title at the World Track and Field event. That same year Beatrice won 23 consecutive events.  In 2006 she finished second on the T.V show Dancing with the Stars.  She won the Halberg Award and the Lonsdale Cup in 1997, she was awarded ONZM in 2005.

 Beatrice's career went off the rails when Stanley, one of her coaches died after a heart attack in 1995, but got back on track when Les Mills became her coach.  Then after the 1998 Commonwealth Games she fell out with Mills, and then was not at her best for the 2000 Olympic Games. She retained her gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.  However at the 2004 Olympic Games and World Champs she didn’t get a medal. By then her place as NZ’s No.1 athlete was being challenged by Valerie Adams, in 2006 the change over was confirmed.

 Beatrice was an only child of a single Mother.  Her Grandmother moved from Samoa wanting to give her family the best life she could.  She lived with her Mother and Grandmother while she was growing up.

 Q- Where is she working now?  A- Beatrice now is the CEO of BEST Leader ship Academy. BEST Academy and Charitable Foundation's Pasifika Leadership Programme, is aimed at Pasifika men and women. Helping them to progress, and break through into, senior leadership positions, and/or start their own new and exciting businesses to generate wealth for their families and for New Zealand.  Q- Why do I think Beatrice is a hero?  A- I think Beatrice is a hero because she represented NZ at the Olympic Games three times, doing well in all of them.

Credits - *Info from The Olympic Organisation and Wikipedia Made by Oliver ™ ©