Angela Walker (rhythmic gymnast)

{{Infobox gymnast

| name = Angela Walker

| gender =

| image = Angela Subramaniam Oct2020 (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Walker (now Subramaniam) in 2020

| fullname = Angela Gaye Walker

| altname =

| nickname =

| country = New Zealand

| regionsrepresented =

| formercountry =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|03|19|df=y}}

| birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand

| death_date =

| death_place =

| hometown =

| residence =

| spouse = {{marriage|Kannan Subramaniam|1995}}

| training =

| height = 166 cm
(at the 1988 Olympics)

| discipline = RG

| natlteam =

| club =

| gym =

| collegeteam =

| headcoach =

| assistcoach =

| formercoach =

| choreographer =

| music =

| eponymousskills =

| retired =

| worldranking =

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Women's rhythmic gymnastics}}

}}

Angela Gaye Walker (married name Subramaniam; born 19 March 1967) is a New Zealand writer and former rhythmic gymnast. She competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics and won a gold medal and three bronze medals at the 1990 Commonwealth Games.

Early life and family

Walker was born in Auckland on 19 March 1967. Her father, Ian Walker, served in the Royal Air Force and Bomber Command during World War II and was a prisoner of war.{{cite news |url=https://indiannewslink.co.nz/book-on-new-zealand-war-veteran-launched-2/ |title=Book on New Zealand war veteran launched |first=Venkat |last=Raman |work=Indian newslink |access-date=11 April 2022}}

Rhythmic gymnastics

Walker began rhythmic gymnastics at age 9 after a friend who was in the sport told her about it.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVuyC0AC_m4 |title=Angela Walker’s forgotten gymnastic gold {{!}} Scratched: Aotearoa’s Lost Sporting Legends {{!}} The Spinoff |date=2021-02-22 |last=The Spinoff |type=Video |access-date=2025-07-01 |via=YouTube}} She qualified internationally for the 1984 Summer Olympics, but due to New Zealand Olympic Committee policies, she was not sent.{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Angela |date=2021-02-25 |title=How Angela Walker’s Olympic dream became a reality |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/sports/25-02-2021/how-angela-walkers-olympic-dream-became-a-reality |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=The Spinoff |language=en}}

Ahead of the 1988 Summer Olympics, she went to train in Moscow with some of the best gymnasts in the world. Walker noted the intensity of training and the skill of the gymnasts she trained with, but she also said that many of those gymnasts did not enjoy rhythmic gymnastics, as she did. The experience helped her realize that she while she was unlikely to medal at the Olympics, she was content with being healthy and training by choice.

Walker was on a flight when the 1988 Olympic team was announced, and she was told by the pilots that she was the only gymnast to be selected for the Olympic team. As of 2024, she is the only New Zealander rhythmic gymnast to compete at the Olympics. In the rhythmic gymnastics individual all-around competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, she tied for 32nd place in the preliminary (qualification) round and did not advance to the final.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wa/angela-walker-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418055550/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wa/angela-walker-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-04-18|title=Angela Walker Bio, Stats, and Results — Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|publisher=Sports-Reference.com|accessdate=2017-01-26}}

Although she originally intended to retire after the Olympics, the 1990 Commonwealth Games were being held in her hometown of Aukland, so Walker decided to continue training for another 15 months.{{Cite web |title=Celebrating awesome New Zealand Gymnasts, have you heard Angela Walker's story? |url=https://tagymsports.nz/news/celebrating-awesome-new-zealand-gymnasts-have-you-heard-angela-walkers-story |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=TeAwamutu GymSports |language=en}} At the Games, she won a gold and three bronze medals.{{cite web |url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/olympic-and-commonwealth-games/page-9 |title=New Zealand as the Commonwealth Games host|publisher=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |accessdate=2017-02-26}} Walker said later that she appreciated the approach of her coaches, as she finished her gymnastics career healthy and still enjoying gymnastics.

Later life

In 1995, Walker married Kannan Subramaniam, a doctor. They have a son, Sachin.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-04 |title=Beloved Olympian Dame Yvette Williams lasting legacy |url=https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/news/real-life/angela-walker-yvette-williams-olympic-legacy-45687/ |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=Now to Love - New Zealand |language=en-AU}} She continues to be involved in high-performance sport.

Walker has written biographies of her father, published in 2017, and Dame Yvette Williams (2022).{{cite news |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/magazine/running-air |title=Running on air |date=11 April 2022 |work=Otago Daily Times |first=Bruce |last=Munro |access-date=11 April 2022}}

Published works

{{cite book |first=Angela |last=Walker |title=From Battle of Britain Airman to POW Escapee: The Story of Ian Walker RAF |year=2017 |publisher=Pen & Sword |ISBN=9781473890725}}
{{cite book |first=Angela |last=Walker | title=Ideals Like Stars: The Dame Yvette Williams Story |year=2022 |publisher=David Bateman |ISBN=9781776890279}}