Raelene Boyle Retirement Village

Each Ryman village is named in honour of a Kiwi or Aussie trailblazer: Anthony Wilding, Lady Diana Isaac, Evelyn Page. They pushed further and set the bar high for others to aspire to. In creating communities that challenge the expectations of ageing, Ryman villages are also setting the bar high. They’re demonstrating that a retirement lifestyle brimming with new experiences, connections and fulfilment is something we should aspire to. Our Aussie and Kiwi namesakes represent the measure of inspiration, while Ryman villages represent the measure of retirement living.

Raelene Boyle (AM, MBE)

Raelene burst onto the athletics scene aged 16 and won silver in the 200m at the 1968 Mexico Olympics aged 17. Equipped with a natural explosive pace and technique beyond her years, Raelene won a grand total of 12 medals sprinting for Australia on the international stage and won 14 national titles.

In possession of a fiercely determined spirit, Raelene repeatedly overcame adversity in her pursuit of excellence. In the 1972 Munich Olympics, she missed out on Olympic gold for the 100m and 200m sprints, losing to an East German athlete from a systematic doping program. A non-conformist she was regularly reprimanded by amateur sporting authorities in her youth. Indiscretions included using both hands to grab the finish tape, glancing over her shoulder during races, swearing after a race, and wearing frayed jeans.

Passionate about Australian sport, Raelene remained involved once her competition days were over. She was a member of the Victorian State Sports Council and Assistant Manager of the Australian World Junior Athletics Team.

Raelene was the first Australian woman to carry the flag at an Olympic opening ceremony. She was named one of 100 National Living Treasures and was inducted into The Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985, the eighth from track and field and the 39th member overall. She was elevated to become the 39th Legend of Australian Sport in 2017.