Athletics: Old rivals jump into present

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Almost 50 years after Yvette Williams leaped into the record books and the hearts of New Zealanders with her gold medal-winning long jump at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, the unassuming heroine has been reunited with one of her closest rivals from that memorable day.

In an amazing come-from-behind story which has been retold countless times, Williams (now Corlett) jumped past England's Shirley Cawley (now Berry) and Russian Alexandra Chudina to claim a first Olympic gold for a New Zealand woman.

Williams was just short of the world record with her 6.24m jump and 10cm ahead of the Russian. Berry was 20cm back.

The long-time friends and their husbands dined in Auckland last night and will spend a few days together at the end of the week.

Corlett met Berry before the pair went to Helsinki after training together in England under the watchful eye of famed British athletics coach Geoff Dyson, who was a friend of Corlett's coach, Jim Bellwood.

"We have written to each other over the years," said Corlett. "My husband Buddy and I visited Shirley and her husband about 11 years ago, so it is nice to catch up with them here."