Janet Watt

Janet Watt reflects on her gold medal win in the women’s badminton doubles at the 1985 World Games for the Deaf in Los Angeles. She and her partner Carolyn Hamlin, both based in Christchurch and seeded number one for New Zealand, took the top spot. Auckland duo Pam Croskery and Penny Went also made the podium with a silver medal, marking a proud moment for the NZ team. Janet credits her mum for the encouragement that kept her going. Without that support, she says, she might never have made it to LA – let alone won gold.

Once New Zealand was awarded the host of the XVIth World Deaf Games at Los Angeles 1985, there was a realisation that sign language classes needed to commence in preparation for Christchurch 1989.

Janet Watt was the team manager for the New Zealand badminton team at the Christchurch World Deaf Games. She recalls being worried that each player had their own room at the university accommodation; how that would lead to more work for her (and eventually, silver and bronze for the team's players!).