No New Zealander had been acclaimed a winner at the world athletics championships until Thursday, August 7 1997, at the Olympic Stadium in Athens. That was when Beatrice Faumuinā threw the discus further than anyone else and was crowned world champion. Beatrice had been ranked No 1 in the world that year so her win was not unexpected. But there are no foregone conclusions in sport. Beatrice fouled her first two attempts, raising the prospect of not making the final round.

Another contender, Ellina Zvereva of Belarus, took the lead with 65.90 metres. On her third attempt, Beatrice heaved out a mighty 66.82. The competition was over. None could match it. In the sixth world championships, NewZealand had its first winner and Beatrice a world title, the best with the discus in the land where it began in ancient times. She added the Commonwealth Games titles in 1998 and 2002.