.jpg) Forsyth in 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Margaret Hine Forsyth | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1961-12-28)December 28, 1961 Hamilton, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 4 May 2021(2021-05-04) (aged 59) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Netball career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| Updated on 31 December 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Margaret Hine ForsythONZM (28 December 1961 – 4 May 2021) was aNew ZealandTrack and Field athlete,[1]netball player, coach, and politician.
Born inHamilton, she was selected for theNew Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns, in 1979 at the age of 17 while a pupil atHillcrest High School.[2] Victory at that year'sNetball World Championships inPort of Spain,Trinidad & Tobago made Forsyth the youngest Silver Fern World Champion in history.[1]
Throughout the 1980s, Forsyth formed a notable attacking partnership with fellow Silver Ferns shooterMargharet Matenga, known together as the "two Margs". She continued with the team until 1987, competing at threeWorld Netball Tournaments.[3][4]
Her age upon selection to the Silver Ferns, athleticism, playing style,[5][6] competitiveness, winning record and senior position within the particularly dominant 1987 World Champion Silver Ferns team[7] made Forsyth an icon of her sport within New Zealand.[8]
In 2014 Forsyth was named assistant coach of theWaikato Bay of Plenty Magic competing in theANZ Championship. In 2017 the Magic joined the newANZ Premiership competition, and Forsyth was promoted to head coach of the team.
In 2016, Forsyth was named Coach of the NZA Netball Team and in 2017 she was Assistant Coach of the New Zealand FAST5 Ferns.
In 2020, Forsyth took up the position ofAssistant Coach with Auckland-based franchise, The Northern Mystix. In the 2021, the team won their first National Netball Championships while Forsyth underwent treatment for cancer. CaptainSulu Fitzpatrick dedicated the title win to Forsyth.[9]
Forsyth served as a City Councillor for the city of Hamilton, New Zealand between 2010-2016 and 2019-2021.[3][10]
In the2020 New Year Honours, she was appointed anOfficer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to netball and the community.[11]
She died on 4 May 2021, aged 59, shortly after being diagnosed with cancer.[12][13]
