Heather Thomson (athlete)
Heather Thomson ( second husband Matthews, born 1946 ) is a former New Zealand middle and long distance runner.
In 1968 she married the cyclist Richie Thomson, from which it was trained for several years before it was finally taken care of by Arthur Lydiard.
At the World Cross Country Championships 1973 in Waregem they came on the 28th place. In 1975, she was at the Cross Country World Cup in Rabat Sixth and won the team silver. 1977 in Dusseldorf was followed by a 13th place in the individual competition and team bronze.
In 1978 she won at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton Silver 3000 m. In the Cross Country World Cup 1979 in Limerick, she took the 20th place.
Due to a foot surgery she paused for a few years. After she founded with her second husband Jeff a running group, they again took part in competitions and won the 1985 Rotorua Marathon in 2:48:00 h
In 1969 she was New Zealand champion in mile run in 1973 and 1975 cross country and 1978 and 1979 on 3000 m.
After a career as a visual merchandiser and interior designer, she started at age 58 to study art and is now working as an art teacher.