Beatrice Faumuina is a former World Champion Discus Thrower and two times Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist.

Beatrice won the world title in Athens, and back to back Commonwealth games Gold Medals. This effort lifted her to the top of the nation’s sports heroes and was rewarded with many awards including the prestigious Halberg Award.

Beatrice suffered injury in 1998 but overcame the effects to win gold at the Commonwealth Games with a new Games record.

From then until the New Zealand Championships in late February 1999, Beatrice took time away from competing in an effort to fully recover so she could defend her World title. Although ultimately unsuccessful, her fifth placing was the best by a New Zealander at the Championships and signaled a full return to top throwing.

Her effort in the final resulted in her best throw of the year, an excellent effort in the heat of a championship final. 2000 started slowly with solid efforts during the Marley Games but suffered some defeats to Australian Liza Marie Vizaniari and one to Alison Lever during late season competitions in Australia.

Beatrice retained her national discus title in Christchurch but left the shot undefended. After the nationals, she competed in South Africa during their Grand Prix series winning both discus competitions, the first with a world class 65.41m.

Later she went to Japan and the USA to compete in IAAF Grand Prix events before settling into a training and competition regime in Queensland aimed at bringing her to a competitive peak for the Olympic Games.

Her most recent throws have included two competitions over 64m, signalling a return to top form. She finished a solid second at the Australian Olympic Trials. She has twice been named the Athletics New Zealand Athlete of the Year (1997, 1998) and was named the Thrower of the Year in 1999.

She retired from athletics in 2010 and is currently CEO of charitable foundation the Best Leadership Academy.

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