Lorraine Moller

Lorraine Mary Moller MBE (born 1 June 1955) is a former athlete from New Zealand, who competed in track athletics and later specialised in the marathon. Moller's international career lasted over 20 years and included winning a silver medal in the marathon at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh and a bronze medal in the marathon at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona at the age of 37.[1] A four-time Olympian, she also completed the marathon at the 1984, 1988 and 1996 games. Her other marathon victories included the 1984 Boston Marathon and being a three-time winner (1986,87,89) of the Osaka International Ladies Marathon.

Lorraine Moller
MBE
Moller in 1984
Personal information
Born (1955-06-01) 1 June 1955
Putaruru, New Zealand
Sport
Coached byJohn Davies
Medal record
Women's Athletics
Representing  New Zealand
Olympic Games
1992 Barcelona Marathon
Commonwealth Games
1986 Edinburgh Marathon
1982 Brisbane 1500 m
1982 Brisbane 3000 m

Moller was married to fellow Olympian Ron Daws[2] and coached by John Davies.

Track career

Moller's first international competition was the 1974 British Commonwealth Games at Christchurch, where she finished fifth in the 800 m. Her time of 2:03.63 was her lifetime best and is still the fastest ever by a New Zealand junior (under 20) woman.[3]

Although Moller ran her first marathon in 1979, there were no sanctioned marathons for females at an international athletics competition until 1984. Moller was instead selected for both the 1500 m and 3000 m at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, winning bronze medals for both events.

In 1985 Moller broke the New Zealand 1500 m record, running 4:10.35 at Brussels. In 1986 at the Commonwealth Games, as well as the marathon (see below), she competed in the 3000 m, finishing fifth.

In the 1993 New Year Honours, Moller was appionted a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to athletics.[4]

As of June 2008, Moller ranked in the all-time top ten in New Zealand for the 1500 m, mile, 3000 m and 5000 m. She also ranked 11th for the 10,000 m.

Personal Bests:

Event Time Date Place
800 m 2:03.63 1974 Christchurch
1500 m 4:10.35 1985 Brussels
Mile 4:32.97 1985
3000 m 8:51.78 1983
5000 m 15:35.75 1985
10000 m 32:40.17 1988
Marathon 2:28:17 1986 Edinburgh

Marathon career

Moller ran her first marathon on 23 June 1979, winning Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota in 2:37:37. The time was the fastest ever by a New Zealander and the sixth-fastest ever run by a woman.[5] She then won her next 7 marathons.

She was a triple winner of the Osaka Ladies Marathon, and in 1984 won the Boston Marathon.[6]

All of Moller's appearances at the Olympic Games were in the marathon. Her full records are:

  • 1984: 5th (2:28:34)
  • 1988: 33rd (2:37:52)
  • 1992: 3rd (2:33:59)
  • 1996: 46th (2:42:21)

She also won the silver medal at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, running 2:28:17, her lifetime best.

In 2012 she was inducted into the Boulder (Colorado) Sports Hall of Fame. She has worked with the Lydiard Foundation and the Master Plan training system to share the lessons of running coach Arthur Lydiard.[7]

Achievements
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing  New Zealand
1974 Commonwealth Games Christchurch, New Zealand 5th 800 m 2:03.63
1979 Grandma's Marathon Duluth, United States 1st Marathon 2:37:37
1980 Grandma's Marathon Duluth, United States 1st Marathon 2:38:35
1981 Grandma's Marathon Duluth, United States 1st Marathon 2:29:35
1982 Commonwealth Games Brisbane, Australia 3rd 1500 m 4:12.67
3rd 3000 m 8:55.76
1984 Boston Marathon Boston, United States 1st Marathon 2:29:28
Olympic Games Los Angeles, United States 5th Marathon 2:28:54
1986 Osaka Ladies Marathon Osaka, Japan 1st Marathon 2:30:24
Commonwealth Games Edinburgh, Scotland 5th 3000 m 9:03.89
2nd Marathon 2:28:17
1987 Osaka Ladies Marathon Osaka, Japan 1st Marathon 2:30:40
World Championships Rome, Italy 21st 10,000 m 34:07.26
1988 Olympic Games Seoul, South Korea 33rd Marathon 2:37:52
1989 Osaka Ladies Marathon Osaka, Japan 1st Marathon 2:30:21
Hokkaido Marathon Sapporo, Japan 1st Marathon 2:36:39
1991 Hokkaido Marathon Sapporo, Japan 1st Marathon 2:33:20
1992 Olympic Games Barcelona, Spain 3rd Marathon 2:33:59
1996 Olympic Games Atlanta, United States 46th Marathon 2:42:21

Author
  • Moller, Lorraine. On the Wings of Mercury: The Lorraine Moller Story. 2007. Longacre Press. ISBN 978-1-877361-99-9.[8]

Audio Interviews
gollark: Probably. They could be really light and small, or only use the sail to very slightly supplement the ion drive occasionally. Or just be very slow.
gollark: Maybe the sail bit could also be switchable in little bits instead of the whole thing at once, for very limited steering and communication.
gollark: Maybe space *bees* use solar sail propulsion, laser propulsion or ion engines depending on circumstance (the sail bit is switchable between reflective and photovoltaic somehow), and space *moths* use the thermal thing.
gollark: I see.
gollark: Ion drives with solar power?

References
  1. Profile at the official New Zealand Olympic Committee website
  2. STEVE HOAG, Running Minnesota blog, 28 January 2007, retrieved 20 April 2010
  3. Athletics New Zealand Records: Best Performances
  4. "No. 53154". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 31 December 1992. p. 30.
  5. Heidenstrom, P. (1992) Athletes of the Century. Wellington: GP Publications.
  6. Matson, Barbara (16 April 2009). "Twists in the road". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 17 April 2009.
  7. "Mike Sandrock: Lorraine Moller to be inducted into the Boulder Sports Hall of Fame". Boulder Daily Camera. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  8. Longacre Press Archived 14 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
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