When it comes to commitment to and passion for a sport, Lorraine Moller sets the standards. Add in durability and versatility and she stands unique among New Zealand athletes.

Lorraine Moller is New Zealand’s greatest female distance runner in terms of longevity and performance.

She ran competitively from the age of about 13 until she was into her 40s and had a reputation for being able to record world-class times in a range of events, from 800 metres to the marathon.

Among many international successes, she won bronze medals in the 1500m and 3000m at the Commonwealth Games in 1982, silver in the marathon at the Commonwealth Games in 1986 and bronze in the marathon at the Olympic Games in 1992.

She also ran in the marathon at the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 and became the only woman to run in each of the first four Olympic marathons.

She is widely, and rightly, credited with opening up the road racing circuit in the United States to women athletes.