| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women’s Paralympics | ||
| Competitor for New Zealand | ||
| Paralympic Games | ||
| Gold | 1968 Tel Aviv | Javelin |
| Silver | 1968 Tel Aviv | Shot Put |
| Silver | 1968 Tel Aviv | 50m Freestyle |
| Bronze | 1968 Tel Aviv | Discus |
| Gold | 1972 Heidelberg | Womens Pentathlon |
| Gold | 1972 Heidelberg | Shot Put |
| Silver | 1972 Heidelberg | Discus |
| Silver | 1972 Heidelberg | Javelin |
| Gold | 1976 Toronto | Womens Pentathlon |
| Gold | 1976 Toronto | Discus |
| Gold | 1976 Toronto | Javelin |
| Gold | 1976 Toronto | Shot Put |
| Gold | 1980 Arnhem | Shot Put |
| Silver | 1980 Arnhem | Advanced Metric Round Archery |
Eve Rimmer BEM (1937 – 1996) was born in Whakatane, New Zealand and was a New Zealand athlete. She was an inspiring and courageous woman whose life and sporting achievements tell her story of true determination against enormous odds. Growing up in the small rural town of Edgecumbe, Eve was a talented young athlete. As Eve says in her biography “On natural ability alone, I held the school’s long jump record for many years” [Rimmer & Gilmour, 1978, p.3]. This made up for her poor academic credentials. As soon as she was old enough she left school. In 1952 at age fifteen, Eve was left paralysed from the waist down when the vehicle she was in crashed on a dark wet night. This life changing experience did not prevent Eve Rimmer from becoming one of the best athletes in the world. She went on to be a multi-medal winner in shot put, javelin, pentathlon, discus, swimming and archery, In 1973 she deservedly received the British Empire Medal. “Eve Rimmer is one of New Zealand's most renowned athletes, a member of the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame, holder of fifteen paralympic medals, eight of them Gold.” [1] The same spirit was there as before. She went on to get married and after being told she would probably never be able to conceive, gave birth to two healthy girls. Eve Rimmer has since been regarded as an inspiration to those with disabilities and able-bodied people. She was actively involved with the paraplegic organisations throughout New Zealand. She gave many paraplegics throughout the world the ability to believe that they could achieve anything they wanted to.
| “ | '''It is understanding that people with disabilities want, not sympathy.
People who have disabilities are normal people who can play a normal part in life. If I have got this message across to just some people, I have contributed something |
” |
|
—Eve discussing how she wanted her speaking engagements to impact others |
||
Eve Rimmer was the first ever woman selected to represent New Zealand at the Paralympics. She was the only female named along with fourteen men to go to the 1968 Tel Aviv Games and the only one to bring home medals. She continued to represent New Zealand at the games in Heidelberg (1972), Toronto (1976) and Arnhem (1980), winning a total of 14 Paralympics medals, of which 8 were gold. Eve also was very successful in the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games and at domestic competitions.[2]
As well as winning many Paralympic and Commonwealth medals Eve Rimmer has been honoured for her many achievements including being named the Bay of Plenty Sportsperson of the Year in 1992. She was the founder of the Disabilities Resource Centre in Whakatane and was the organiser of the 1990 Games for Disabled in Whakatane, an event which has grown into the Eve Rimmer Games held Easter weekend every two years. [3][4][5] In 1990, Eve was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame due to her domination in paraplegic sport over the years. [6] Rimmer was also runner up for the New Zealand Sportsman of the year title in 1972. In 1973, Eve was awarded the British Empire Medal. Eve was a very big influence on sports in Whakatane and the Council honoured her by naming a sports ground after her. The Eve Rimmer Park is used for rugby league, netball and bmx.[7]
| “ | I would swap them all, everything I’ve had out of life, for two ordinary legs that work.
To get up and dance again. To run down the beach and plunge into the sea. To ride a bike through the countryside. To walk free with the wind in my face. To feel the grass between my toes. |
” |
|
—Eve discussing the fact that although she has had great achievements she regrets the things that normal people can do |
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Biography: Eve Rimmer, Garth Gilmour: No Grass Between My Toes, Wellington, 1978, 169 pages Book: Anderton, J. (1999). Unsung heroes portraits of inspiring New Zealanders. Auckland, New Zealand: Random House. Website: 1*Sport Bay of Plenty. (2008). Event detail. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from [8] 2*Paralympics New Zealand. (2008) Profiles. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from [9] 3*Disability Resource Centre Trust. (2008) Eve Rimmer. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from [10] 4*Sport Waikato. (2008). Sport Opportunity. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from [11] 5*Sport Bay of Plenty. (2008). Event detail. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from [12] 6*New Zealand Hall of Fame. (2008). Eve Rimmer. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from [13] 7*Whakatane. (2008). Facilities locations. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from [14]