Beverly Dawn Edith Weigel (born 16 August 1940), with her first name commonly misspelled as Beverley and since her marriage known as Beverly Robertson, is a New Zealand athlete. Mainly active as a long jumper, but also as a sprinter, she represented her country at the

1956 Summer Olympics The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, from 22 November to 8 December 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, whi ...

, the

1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games The 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games (Welsh: Gemau Ymerodraeth Prydain a'r Gymanwlad 1958) were held in Cardiff, Wales, from 18–26 July 1958. Thirty-five nations sent a total of 1,130 athletes and 228 officials to the Cardiff Games ...

, and the

1960 Summer Olympics The 1960 Summer Olympics ( it, Giochi Olimpici estivi del 1960), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad ( it, Giochi della XVII Olimpiade) and commonly known as Rome 1960 ( it, Roma 1960), were an international multi-sport event held ...

Life

Weigel was born in 1940 in Auckland, New Zealand. She received her education at Kelston High School (now

Kelston Girls' College Kelston Girls’ College (KGC) is a single-sex girls state secondary school in Kelston, a suburb in West Auckland, New Zealand. It was created in 1963 when the roll of Kelston High School (formed in 1954) became too large for the site on the co ...

, but co-ed at the time). Described as a "phenomenal athlete", she won the New Zealand senior women's long jump title at age 15. This secured her a place on the

New Zealand Olympic team New Zealand first sent an independent team to the Olympics in 1920. Prior to this, at the 1908 and 1912 Summer Olympics, New Zealand and Australian athletes competed together in a combined ''Australasia'' team. New Zealand has also participated ...

for the

in Melbourne, Australia, and she is listed as New Zealand Olympian number 126. Of the nine track and field athletes who represented the country, she was the youngest at age 16. She competed in long jump and of 19 competitors, she came 7th. In 1957, she set a world junior record with a long jump of in Auckland – a distance that would have won her a silver medal at the 1956 Olympics. At the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, Weigel competed in three events. In the women's long jump, she placed eights. In the 100 yards women's race, she was eliminated in the heats. With Mary Donaghy, Margaret Stuart, and Marise Chamberlain, she competed in the 4x110 yards relay and they came 4th. At the

in Rome, Italy, she was one of New Zealand's fourteen track and field athletes. Again competing in the long jump, she came 10th from 30 competitors. On 9 February 1957 Beverly beat the 1949 Junior World Best by 11 cm at a meet in Papakura. She was also only 12 cm under the Women's Open World Record. This performance was never officially recognised as a record.

References

External links

Team photo
of the New Zealand athletes at the 1956 Summer Olympics {{DEFAULTSORT:Weigel, Beverly Living people 1940 births People educated at Kelston Girls' College Olympic athletes for New Zealand Athletes (track and field) at the 1956 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Athletes (track and field) at the 1960 Summer Olympics Commonwealth Games competitors for New Zealand Athletes from Auckland New Zealand female sprinters New Zealand female long jumpers