Rita Fatialofa-Paloto

Fatialofa-Patolo in 2014
Rita Fatialofa-Paloto
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Women's netball
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1983 Singapore Team
Gold medal – first place 1987 Glasgow Team
World Games
Gold medal – first place 1989 Karlsruhe Team
Women's softball
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1982 Taipei Team

Rita Taimalietane Fatialofa-Patolo MNZM (née Fatialofa, born 1963) is a Samoan sportsperson who played netball and softball for New Zealand.[1]

Biography

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Fatialofa-Patolo attended Lynfield College in Auckland.[2]

She played for the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns, from 1982 to 1989. While able to play the shooting circle, her specialised position was wing-attack. She retired after the 1989 World Games where New Zealand defeated Australia in the final. Fatialofa-Patolo later coached the Samoan national netball team at the 1991 and 1995 Netball World Championships.[3] In 1999, she was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame,[4] and was also included in Netball New Zealand's all-time Dream Team.[5] In softball, she was a member of the team that won the 1982 ISF World Championship in Taipei, defeating the host nation in the final.[4]

In the 2014 New Year Honours, Fatialofa-Patolo was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to sport.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Trailblazers – Prominent New Zealand Sportswomen". Sound Archives (Radio New Zealand). Archived from the original on 3 July 2007.
  2. ^ Reidy, Jade (2013). Not Just Passing Through: the Making of Mt Roskill (2nd ed.). Auckland: Puketāpapa Local Board. p. 98. ISBN 978-1-927216-97-2. OCLC 889931177. Wikidata Q116775081.
  3. ^ SportingPulse profile
  4. ^ a b "New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame profile: Rita Fatialofa". Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  5. ^ Netball New Zealand. "History of netball in New Zealand". Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  6. ^ "New Year honours list 2014". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2018.