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The fighting spirit of Yvette Corlett was evident as she received her New Year's Honour for services to athletics today in Auckland. Four years ago she underwent surgery on her brain and almost lost her ability to walk. But New Zealand's first female gold medallist fought back from illness and proudly walked up to Governor General Anand Satyanand to collect her New Year's Honour at Auckland's Government House. Yvette Corlett was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, CNZM. Since being honoured with an MBE in 1953, following her Gold medal performance in the long jump at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games, Yvette has made a considerable contribution to the sport of athletics and to the community. She founded the Pakuranga Athletic Club and was Patron of Counties Manakau Sport from 1994 to 2009.
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