Dame Yvette Williams: Ideals Are Like Stars marks 70 years since Olympic triumph

Yvette Williams winning gold. Photo/Supplied

July 23, 2022, marks the 70th anniversary of Dame Yvette Williams' becoming the first New Zealand woman to win an Olympic gold medal, in Helsinki. A new biography, Ideals Are Like Stars, by Angela Walker - also an Olympic athlete - features the letter written by Dame Yvette's father, to his daughter after her phenomenal achievement.

Yvette's father, Tom, was struggling to find a quiet moment just to sit down at his kitchen table. He had had a tumultuous night awaiting news of the dramatic contest as it was sporadically reported on the radio. He had since fielded a non-stop series of calls and visits from chuffed friends, journalists, even complete strangers. Now it was time to regale Yvette with the story of the night of nights she had given him at 24 Bridge St, Dunedin. There was no prouder father in the world that day, sitting with his fountain pen and aerogramme, writing to his daughter — the Olympic champion.

New Zealand athlete Yvette Williams wins the long jump final at the Olympic Games in Helsinki 23 July 1952 with a new Olympic Record of 6.24m. Photo / Supplied

26.07.52

Hullo, Chickie. Now that I've come back to earth again, I'll see if I can tell you something of what's happened in the old hometown since last Thursday, but first of all, sweetheart, I must again congratulate you on your marvellous performance. It was absolutely wonderful and if I live to be 100, which is not likely, I would never forget one minute of it, but you certainly gave us all a big scare, with those two no jumps called against you and I never want to go through another hour of such anxiety and suspense as I did during those early hours last Thursday morning. But I realise now that it was nothing as compared to the way you must have felt. I couldn't possibly tell you the whole story by writing to you. That will have to keep until you're back home again. The best I can do is just to give you a very brief picture of what went on at 24.

I decided after coming home from work on Wednesday to stay up all night. Russell Oaten [sports broadcaster at 4ZB], his wife, Teddy Isaacs, two Times reporters and Charlie stayed all through the night with me. Roy went to bed as I promised to wake him up when the result came through. We received news of your great qualifying jump, at about 10.30pm. Of course you can imagine how excited we were. The glasses were filled again and we all kept on wishing you luck with each drink we had. The night seemed to pass by rather quickly. About 3am I made a batch of hot scones and a cup of tea and we cleaned those up. At about 4.00 the news came through of your first no jump. The Times office had provisionally rung and told me that they were getting each jump you made called directly through and they rang me immediately to say you'd got another no jump. It was then that I started to get really worried, not so much excitement now. It was not until about 5.30am that we received word of your fourth jump. The third one must have got lost somewhere and of course when they told me the distance, we all went mad as we knew then that you really had it in the bag. At about quarter to six the final result came through, saying you had won. Well that was the start of a day never to be forgotten in Dunedin.

Russell rang 4ZB. Peter [Dawson] was on and he kept putting it over the air every few minutes. Flags were flying. Arthur Barnett had the distance of your jump painted on the footpath in front of his shop. Everyone was talking about it. They made me go up to 4ZB to give a broadcast during the breakfast session. I didn't go to work. Vic rang and told me to have the day off, which I intended doing in any case. I rang Mum and she rang me. Our old telephone rang continually all that day and night and there must have been hundreds that tried to ring, but couldn't get through. Telegrams started coming in, right from Sid Holland down to people who were complete strangers. It was really a red-letter day and I hate to think what it will be like the day you arrive back in Dunedin ... I heard Mum on the air yesterday during the women's hour at 1ZB. It has certainly been a great thrill right throughout NZ and you've certainly hit the headlines everywhere this time and you deserve every bit of it Chickie. You must be a very, very proud and happy girl, as we at home know how you had set your heart on winning that event, and now that it's all over, and you've realised your big ambition, you will be able to relax and make up for all those sacrifices that you've made in the past three or four years ... Very thrilled also dear to hear your interview over the air tonight. It was really good to hear your voice and giggle again. Must close now, anxiously awaiting your return home. Cheerio, all the best.
Love and kisses Dad & Roy [Yvette's brother].

Edited extract from Ideals Are Like Stars, by Angela Walker (Bateman Books, $40)