Dame Susan's secrets & 'IT'S ALL OUT THERE NOW!'

The unstoppable star found time to squash in a book about her amazing life

- Catherine Milford

Dame Susan Devoy isn’t afraid of much. The four-time world squash number-one champion, former Race Relations Commissioner, chairwoman of The Halberg Trust, Celebrity Treasure Island contestant, mum of four boys and even one-time kiwifruit picker is unashamedly straighttalking and famously lacks any filter.

But this year, her courage has been tested because as well as turning 60, she’s also become an author, penning Dame Suzy D: My Story, a book about her remarkable life.

“It felt huge turning 60 – I was in complete denial about it all,” reveals Susan, who now lives in Mount Maunganui with John Oakley, her husband of 38 years. “I can’t believe how fast time has fl own. Next month, it’ll be 40 years since I won the squash British Open and while it doesn’t feel like yesterday, it doesn’t feel like four decades ago either.

“They say 60 is the new 40, but I don’t know if that’s entirely true. Turning 60 made me realise that I’m getting older and writing the book felt a bit like, ‘Is this it? Is this all I’m going to achieve in my life?’”

That seems unlikely. Sporting great and senior public servant Susan has never done anything by halves and, in her own words, “can’t sit still for two seconds”, so there’s not much chance she’ll be slowing down any time soon.

She and John, 66, are avid walkers and regular travellers – last year, the pair walked the 80km Jordan Trail to the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, followed by the French section of the iconic 780km Camino Way.