Lorraine Moller, from Putaruru, was one of the greatest athletes New Zealand has seen. She first competed in the Commonwealth Games in the 800m at Christchurch in 1974, gained two bronze medals at Brisbane over 1,500m and 3,000m in 1982, and a silver medal in the marathon at Edinburgh in 1986.
It was in the marathon that Lorraine Moller was to demonstrate her outstanding ability, winning 16 of the 28 international marathons she contested. She was a three-time winner of the Avon World Marathon Championship, she won the Boston in 1984, and the Osaka International three times. She had won her debut marathon in 1979, and won 9 of her fi rst 10 marathon attempts, a feat unmatched by any other athlete.
Moller was a forerunner for equality in women's athletics, and an activist for professionalism in distance running. It was at the Olympics that Moller was to leave an indelible mark. A fi ne fifth in the inaugural women's marathon at Los Angeles in 1984, Moller was the first female to complete four consecutive Olympic marathons, the climax of her efforts being her magnificent bronze medal effort at Barcelona in 1992.