Celebrating Lorraine
- Gary Moller
- 5 minutes ago
- 3 min read
A Life of Courage, Curiosity, and Change
By her proud sibling
Introduction
Today, we honour Lorraine — not just as an extraordinary athlete but as a thinker, educator, advocate, and trailblazer whose influence reaches far beyond finish lines.
Recently Lorraine was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the King’s New Year Honours, recognised for her services to athletics and the impact she has had on sport and society. It’s a fitting acknowledgement of a remarkable life and career — one that has inspired countless others.
A Pioneer on the World Stage
Lorraine’s name is etched in New Zealand and international sport history. Born in Putāruru in 1955, she began her athletic journey with middle‐distance running, excelling in events from 800 m to marathon. Over a career spanning more than two decades she became one of the world’s greatest female distance runners.
She was among the women who stood at the start line of the first-ever Olympic women’s marathon at the Los Angeles Games in 1984 — a powerful moment of equality in motion. Lorraine finished a strong fifth, part of a movement that helped create parity for women in elite distance running.
In total she competed in four Olympic Games, the only woman to run all four Olympic marathons of the 20th century, and at age 37 captured the bronze medal in Barcelona in 1992 — an unforgettable achievement in stunning conditions.
Her international wins include the Boston Marathon and multiple victories in major city marathons, plus Commonwealth Games medals.
Beyond the Track: Educator and Advocate
What makes Lorraine exceptional isn’t only her times and medals, although those are extraordinary. It’s how she carried her voice into broader conversations about fairness and the role of women in sport and life.
She has been a fearless advocate for women — challenging outdated rules, insisting on equity, and speaking up for fairness not just in athletics but in the wider world of opportunity and respect.
Her leadership in advocating professionalism in women’s distance running helped shape a future where female athletes could pursue sport as a career, not just an amateur pastime.
She also channelled her experiences into teaching and mentorship. Lorraine has worked with coaching foundations that spread training knowledge globally, and her autobiography, On the Wings of Mercury, offers insight into her life, her mindset, and her philosophy of resilience. She is one of the founders and presidents of the USA-based Lydiard Foundation.
I still have a few copies of her book for sale — a testament to her life, written in her own words.
A Role Model for All of Us
At heart, Lorraine is also a deep thinker and educator who has inspired generations — not just on the trail but in classrooms, community groups, and conversations about what we owe each other as human beings.
As someone who grew up beside her, I saw early on her blend of stubborn toughness, intelligence, and curiosity. She tackled challenges head-on, outworking barriers others accepted. That resilience and clarity of purpose helped her push through boundaries — in sport and in life.
She taught us that fairness isn’t given, it’s championed. That equity doesn’t happen by chance — it happens by the courage of those who say “yes, we can do better” and act on it.
In Finishing this Essay
Lorraine’s ONZM is a fitting tribute to a life of achievement and contribution, and one that is far from over. I feel she is only just getting started. For those of us who know her best, her legacy is lived every day, in every runner she’s coached, every woman she’s inspired, and every young person who now believes they have the right to be seen, heard, and celebrated.
To my sister — thank you for showing us what excellence, heart, and conviction look like in action. We are so proud of you.