Susan Devoy

Susan Devoy
Full name	Susan Elizabeth Anne Devoy
Country	New Zealand
Residence	New Zealand
Born	(1964-01-04) 4 January 1964 Rotorua, New Zealand
Retired	1992
Plays	Right handed
Women's singles
Highest ranking	No. 1 (April 1984)
Last updated on: 9 May 2011.

Dame Susan Elizabeth Anne Devoy, DNZM CBE (born 4 January 1964),^[1] is a New Zealand squash player who dominated the sport in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She won the World Open on four occasions.^[2]

In March 2013, she was appointed to the position of Race Relations Commissioner for New Zealand.

Playing career

Born in Rotorua, New Zealand, Devoy attended MacKillop College.^[3] Her family was very involved in the squash community and she started playing when she was very young.^[4] Devoy turned professional at the age of 17.^[5] Her first World Open title came in 1985,^[6] with a subsequent win in 1987. Further World Open titles came in 1990 and 1992.^[7] For most of her career, the World Open was held biennially, a fact that stopped Devoy potentially doubling her tally. She did, however, win the coveted British Open eight times, a record only beaten by Heather McKay in the 1960s/70s and by Janet Morgan in the 1950s.^{[citation needed]}

In 1992, the year of her unexpected retirement, she was the Australian, British, French, Hong Kong, Irish, New Zealand, Scottish, Swedish and World squash champion.^[8]

Achievements

In the 1986 New Year Honours, Devoy was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire,^[9] and elevated to Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1993 Queen's Birthday Honours.^[10] She is also noted for her charity work, being the New Zealand Patron on the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In 1988 she walked the entire length of New Zealand, over seven weeks, and raised $500,000 for that charity.^[11] Other achievements include being named New Zealand Sports Person and Sports Woman in 1985.^[12]

In 1998, she became a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, the youngest New Zealander since Sir Edmund Hillary to receive a knighthood.^[7] In between her charity work she is also a professional speaker in motivation and inspiration. In 2007, she appeared on Like Minds, Like Mine TV commercials in New Zealand to counter the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness.^[13]

World Open

Finals: 5 (4 titles, 1 runner-up)

Outcome	Year	Location	Opponent in the final	Score in the final
Winner	1985	Dublin, Ireland	Lisa Opie	9–4, 9–5, 10–8
Winner	1987	Auckland, New Zealand	Lisa Opie	9–3, 10–8, 9–2
Runner-up	1989	Warmond, Netherlands	Martine Le Moignan	4–9, 9–4, 10–8, 10–8
Winner	1990	Sydney, Australia	Martine Le Moignan	9–4, 9–4, 9–4
Winner	1992	Vancouver, Canada	Michelle Martin	9–4, 9–6, 9–4

Sports administration

After Devoy retired from competitive squash, she became the Chief Executive of Sport Bay of Plenty.^[8]

Personal life

She married her manager and fellow squash player John Oakley, on 12 December 1986 in Rotorua's St Michael's Church,^[7] and they now have four sons^[14] - the eldest of whom is track athlete Julian Oakley ^[15]

She currently lives in Tauranga,^[16] and writes a regular column in the Bay of Plenty Times. She is a supporter of a New Zealand republic.^[17]

Involvement in the Tony Veitch case

In April 2009 an accusation was made that the testimonial Devoy wrote for Tony Veitch in support of the return of his passport was edited and used in his support at his sentencing for injuring with reckless disregard in relation to an assault on his former partner Kristin Dunne-Powell in 2006.^[18]

Appointment as New Zealand Race Relations Commissioner

In March 2013, Devoy was chosen as the successor to Joris de Bres for the position of Race Relations Commissioner.^[19][20] She was selected by Race Relations Minister Judith Collins, who was later forced to defend the appointment, which was surrounded by some controversy, including concern over prior remarks by Devoy. In particular, references were made to her criticism of Waitangi Day as a national holiday, and those who wear burqas in New Zealand.^[21] The Mana Party called for her sacking, and the Green Party said her views on Waitangi Day were "embarrassing".^[22]

Devoy officially began her five-year job on 1 April 2013.^[23][24]

Devoy was criticised for refusing to comment on a number of race-related controversies during her first few weeks in office, including a tirade against Chinese immigrants by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.^[25][26]

See also

• List of WISPA number 1 ranked players
• Official Women's Squash World Ranking

References

External links

• Susan Devoy at the Internet Movie Database
• Susan Devoy profile on SquashInfo