Valerie Vili
Valerie Vili, of Manukau, received the Insignia of an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to athletics at an investiture ceremony on March 31. Ms Vili, who is pictured after the ceremony with family and friends, is currently the Olympic Champion, world champion, and Commonwealth record-holder in the women's shot put event. She began competing at age 14. In 2004, she broke the New Zealand record by becoming the first New Zealand woman to break the 19 metre mark. She competed at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, where she won the silver medal and at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, where she won gold. She has attended two Olympic Games, finishing eighth place at the 2004 Athens Games before winning gold at in the women's shotput at the 2008 Beijing Games.