Eve Rimmer

Eve Rimmer
Personal information
Birth nameEva Marion Davies
Full nameEva Marion Rimmer
Born3 April 1937 (1937-04-03)
Whanganui, New Zealand
Died23 November 1996 (1996-11-24) (aged 59)
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Paralympic Games
Women's para athletics
Gold medal – first place 1968 Tel Aviv Javelin throw C
Silver medal – second place 1968 Tel Aviv Shot put C
Bronze medal – third place 1968 Tel Aviv Discus throw C
Gold medal – first place 1972 Heidelberg Pentathlon 3
Gold medal – first place 1972 Heidelberg Shot put 3
Silver medal – second place 1972 Heidelberg Discus throw 3
Silver medal – second place 1972 Heidelberg Javelin 3
Gold medal – first place 1976 Toronto Pentathlon 3
Gold medal – first place 1976 Toronto Discus throw 3
Gold medal – first place 1976 Toronto Javelin 3
Gold medal – first place 1976 Toronto Shot put 3
Gold medal – first place 1980 Arnhem Shot put 3
Women's para swimming
Silver medal – second place 1968 Tel Aviv 50 m freestyle class 4 complete
Women's para archery
Silver medal – second place 1980 Arnhem Advanced metric round paraplegic

Eva Marion "Eve" Rimmer née Davies BEM (3 April 1937 – 23 November 1996)[1] was a New Zealand Paralympic athlete.[2] She was born in Whanganui, New Zealand and became one of New Zealand's greatest paraplegic athletes, winning 32 medals – including 22 gold medals – for athletics and swimming at international sporting events.[2] Growing up in the small rural town of Edgecumbe, Eve was a talented young athlete. As Eve says in her biography "On natural ability alone, I held the school's long jump record for many years".[3] This made up for her poor academic credentials. As soon as she was old enough she left school. In 1952 at age fifteen, Eve was left paralysed from the waist down when the vehicle she was in crashed on a dark wet night. This life changing experience did not prevent Eve Rimmer from becoming one of the best athletes in the world. She went on to be a multi-medal winner in shot put, javelin, pentathlon, discus, swimming and archery, In 1973 she received the British Empire Medal.[2]

The same spirit was shown in her personal life. She married Kelvin Stanley (Kel) Rimmer, a radio engineer, and despite being told she would probably never be able to conceive, gave birth to two healthy girls.[2] Eve Rimmer has since been regarded as an inspiration to those with disabilities and able-bodied people. She was actively involved with the paraplegic organisations throughout New Zealand.[4] She gave many paraplegics throughout the world the ability to believe that they could achieve anything they wanted to.

It is understanding that people with disabilities want, not sympathy.

People who have disabilities are normal people who can play a normal part in life. If I have got this message across to just some people, I

have contributed something

— Eve discussing how she wanted her speaking engagements to impact others
  1. ^ Gilmour, Garth (1 December 1996). "Eve Rimmer fought for a better life – and won". Sunday Star Times. p. 11.
  2. ^ a b c d Burgess, Sarah (2018). "Rimmer, Eva Marion". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography - Te Ara. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  3. ^ Rimmer, Eve (with Garth Gilmour) (1978). No grass between my toes: the Eve Rimmer story. Wellington: A. H. & A. W. Reed. ISBN 9780589010904.
  4. ^ Anderton, Jim (1999). Unsung heroes portraits of inspiring New Zealanders. Auckland: Random House. ISBN 9781869414016.