Leilani Rorani MNZM (formerly Joyce, née Marsh; born 15 April 1974) is a New Zealand former squash player. During her professional career, she reached the world number 1 ranking, won the British Open in 1999 and 2000, and finished runner-up at the World Open in 2000 and 2001.
| Born | 15 April 1974 Hamilton, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retired | September 2002 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plays | Right-Handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Rob Wyatt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Racquet used | Unsquashable | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Women's Singles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | 1 (November 2000) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title(s) | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tour final(s) | 25 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Open | RU (2000, 2001) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Early life and family
editBorn Leilani Marsh in Hamilton on 15 April 1974, Rorani is the daughter of Neal and Maise Marsh (née Reihana).[1] Of Māori descent, she affiliates to Ngāti Hine, Ngāi Te Rangi, and the Tainui confederation.[1] She was educated at Church College of New Zealand, and is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[1] She married Paul Joyce, but the couple later divorced.[2][3][4] In 2002, she married Blair Rorani in the Hamilton New Zealand Temple. They have four children.[5]
Squash career
editIn the early part of her career, she was known by her maiden name, Leilani Marsh, and competed in the 1996 World Open as the number 14 seed under that name.[citation needed] Following her first marriage, she competed as Leilani Joyce, and then was known as Leilani Rorani in the latter stages of her career.[citation needed]
As a junior player, Rorani won the New Zealand under-13, under-15, under-17 and under-19 championships, the Australian under-17 and under-19 championship, and the Oceania under-19 championship.[citation needed]
During her 12-year career on the international tour, Rorani won 16 WISPA titles. She also won four New Zealand national titles. She was named Māori Sportsperson of the Year twice, and New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year in 2000.[1]
Rorani retired from the professional tour in 2002, after winning gold medals in both the women's doubles and mixed doubles at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.[6]
Honours
editIn 1990, she was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.[7] In the 2001 New Year Honours, Rorani was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to squash.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d Taylor, Alister, ed. (2001). New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa 2001. Auckland: Alister Taylor Publishers. ISSN 1172-9813.
- ^ Kayes, Jim (13 September 1997). "Joyce emerges out of Devoy's shadow". Waikato Times. p. 10.
- ^ "Leilani Joyce: steps to a champion". Squashplayer.co.uk. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
- ^ "Leilani Rorani". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
- ^ "Bernice Mene and Leilani Rorani: breastfeeding champions". New Zealand Woman's Weekly. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
- ^ "Leilani Retires". Retrieved 20 December 2011.
- ^ Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 243. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
- ^ "New Year honours list 2001". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 30 December 2000. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
External links
edit- Leilani Rorani at WISPA (archived)
- Leilani Rorani at Squash Info
- Leilani Joyce at Squashpics.com
- Mormon.org profile
- Leilani Rorani at the New Zealand Olympic Committee
- Leilani Rorani at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
- Leilani Joyce at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
- Leilani Joyce at the World Games