yvette winifred corlett ("née" williams, 25 april 1929 – 13 april 2019) was a new zealand athlete. she won the gold medal in the women's long jump at the 1952 summer olympics in helsinki. this made her the first woman from her country to win an olympic gold medal. she was also the first new zealander to hold the world record in the women's long jump. she was a national champion and a medallist at the commonwealth games in long jump, javelin, shot put and discus. on the 100th anniversary of athletics new zealand in 1987, yvette was named "athlete of the century".