Rebecca Wardell Discipline: Heptathlon

CHAT with a Olympic Education CHAMPION Rebecca Wardell Discipline: Heptathlon

Rebecca Wardell was born in 1977. She focused originally on 400m hurdles. She represented New Zealand at the 2001 and 2005 World University Games and the 2003 World Championships. When she wasn’t selected for the 2004 Olympic Games team, she turned her attention to the heptathlon. She competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in this event. Rebecca completed a masters in transport engineering in 2010. After that, she became a full-time athlete. This enabled her to train hard for the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Rebecca was in fourth place towards the end of the first day, with just the 200m to run. She was in serious medal contention. However, during the 200m, she pulled up short after twisting her foot. She was carried off the track, ending her medal hopes. She had a hairline fracture in her foot. In 2011, Rebecca is in recovery from injury and is focusing on qualifying for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Rebecca enjoys all of the heptathlon disciplines, but she says her favourite is javelin. She usually scores well in the shot put, javelin and 800m.

For more about Rebecca, see the Living the Olympic Values resource, available from http://www.olympic.org.nz/education/living- olympic-values

Career highlights Quick facts Representing New Zealand at the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games and Favourite food: Japanese the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Favourite movie: Footloose, Dirty 2006: New Zealand heptathlon champion. Dancing 2005: New Zealand 100m hurdles champion. Favourite music: Six60, Pearl 2003, 2004: New Zealand 400m hurdles champion. Jam, U2 Childhood hero: Michael Jordan 2003: Set New Zealand 400m hurdles record (56.25 sec). Current favourite athlete: Carolina Kluft (Swedish athlete – heptathlon Gold 2004 Olympics) Most rewarding moment in sports: Qualifying for and competing at the 2008 Olympics

http://www.rebeccawardell.com/ http://www.nz2012.com/blog/40

Heptathlon The heptathlon is a track-and-field athletics discipline for all- round athletes. It consists of seven events over two days. At the Olympic Games, the heptathlon is for women, while men compete in the decathlon (ten events over two days). The heptathlon has been an Olympic event since 1984. The events in a heptathlon are as follows. Day one • 100m hurdles • High jump • Shot put • 200m run Day two • Long jump • Javelin • 800m run Rules Each national team can include only three heptathletes. In the heptathlon, the competitors follow the rules for each individual event. They use the same venues and equipment as for the individual events. If an athlete does not attempt an event, they are disqualified from the heptathlon. Athletes are given points for each event based on formulae. These formulae are based on the time or distance the athlete achieved, not whether she came first, second or third in the event.

Well-known New Zealand heptathletes: Joanne Henry: 1998 Commonwealth Games, Bronze Sarah Cowley: 2006 Commonwealth Games, 10th

Joanne Henry