News

2 December 2024 • Junior Track & Field

Childrens Relay Championships

2 December 2024 • Events

McKinnon Shield #5

29 November 2024 • Announcement

2024 Auckland College Sport Awards

26 November 2024 • Junior Track & Field

Go! Series League Table after Round 1

25 November 2024 • Events

McKinnon Shield #4

19 November 2024 • Uncategorized

2024/25 McKinnon Shield Leader Board After Round 3

11 November 2024 • Events

McKinnon Shield #3

4 November 2024 • Events

McKinnon Shield #2

29 October 2024 • Junior Track & Field

GO! Series Entries are Open!

22 October 2024 • Events

McKinnon Shield #1

3 October 2024 • Announcement

Athletes & Supporters Team Wear

1 October 2024 • Announcement

Athletics NZ AGM Life Membership & Merit Awards

2 September 2024 • Events

Auckland Road & Walks Championships

22 July 2024 • Events

Auckland Cross Country Championships

24 June 2024 • Events

Cross Country, Long Bay Regional Park

17 June 2024 • Announcement

Mike Murray

10 June 2024 • Announcement

Coral Phillips

4 June 2024 • Events

Night Cross

21 May 2024 • Events

Pakuranga Cross Country

13 May 2024 • Events

Pukekohe Cross Country

29 April 2024 • Events

Choose Your Own Distance

25 April 2024 • Events

Halberg Games

26 March 2024 • Junior Track & Field

Auckland Childrens Championship Photos

11 March 2024 • Junior Track & Field

Go Athletics Series

4 March 2024 • Events

McKinnon Shield #9

19 February 2024 • Events

McKinnon Shield 8

7 February 2024 • Events

Auckland T&F Championships

5 February 2024 • Junior Track & Field

Go! Series Day 1

22 January 2024 • Events

McKinnon Shield #7

16 January 2024 • Uncategorized

McKinnon Shield #6

9 January 2024 • Junior Track & Field

North Island Colgate Games

20 December 2023 • Announcement

Michael Hartshorne

18 December 2023 • Events

Daikin Night of 5s AUT Millennium Stadium

5 December 2023 • Events

McKinnon Shield Meeting #5

27 November 2023 • Uncategorized

Dick Quax Memorial Meeting

13 November 2023 • Events

Disability Sport Auckland Awards Dinner

3 November 2023 • Events

ACA Race Night Results

1 November 2023 • Events

McKinnon Shield Meet 28 October

30 October 2023 • Events

Athletics Auckland Marathon Champs

20 October 2023 • Announcement

World Athletics Rule Changes from 1st October 2023

16 October 2023 • Events

Auckland 10000m Championships

22 September 2023 • Uncategorized

Auckland Road Relay Champs & XCR Prize Giving

8 September 2023 • Announcement

Rodger Brickland – QSM for Services to Athletics

31 August 2023 • Events

Cross Country & Road Prize Giving

21 August 2023 • Events

Auckland Road Championships

28 July 2023 • Coaching

Aspire Cross Country Academy

26 July 2023 • Events

Long Bay GP4 Cross Country

20 July 2023 • Announcement

Mt Smart #2 Arena Now Open for Training

26 June 2023 • Events

Auckland Cross Country Championships

16 May 2023 • Announcement

Memorial Seat for Russ Hoggard

27 April 2023 • Announcement

Remembering Peter Booker

24 April 2023 • Events

ACA Southland Centennial Shield Relays

18 April 2023 • Uncategorized

Sports Shoes for Schools

13 March 2023 • Events

McKinnon Shield #9

22 February 2023 • Announcement

Auckland Team Selections to 2023 NZ T&F Champs Final

17 February 2023 • Events

NHB Children’s Ribbon Day

5 December 2022 • Junior Track & Field

Junior Ribbon Day Series

5 December 2022 • Events

McKinnon Shield Meeting #5

5 December 2022 • Announcement

Sir Murray Halberg ONZ, KNZM, MBE

28 November 2022 • Events

McKinnon Shield Meeting #4

23 November 2022 • Events

Dick Quax Memorial Meeting

16 November 2022 • Events

McKinnon Shield 3/Schools Competition 3

10 November 2022 • General

Research Project – Achilles Tendinopathy

2 November 2022 • Announcement

Inaugural Millie Sampson WU23 Invitational Mile

21 September 2022 • Coaching

2022 Summer Aspire Academy

14 September 2022 • Events

Auckland Road Relay Championships

13 September 2022 • Announcement

Athletics Auckland Junior Section Innovation Fund

6 September 2022 • Uncategorized

Inclusion Training Seminars

15 August 2022 • Events

CONGRATULATIONS ARCH

9 August 2022 • Events

INTERNATIONAL RESULTS

5 August 2022 • General

Auckland Athletes heading to U.S. College

2 August 2022 • Events

2022 Auckland -Road Team

27 June 2022 • Events

Auckland Cross Country Championships

16 June 2022 • General

“Give it your best Shot”

15 June 2022 • Coaching

ATHLETICS AUCKLAND EVENT CLINIC

15 June 2022 • Announcement

World Athletics Rule Book App

20 May 2022 • Events

Sports Shoes for Schools Initiative

13 May 2022 • Junior Track & Field

Junior Prize Giving Recipients

5 April 2022 • Announcement

Auckland Junior Prize Giving

17 March 2022 • General

Thermoregulation Study

10 March 2022 • Announcement

NZ Track and Field Championships

18 February 2022 • Announcement

Halberg Games 2022

10 February 2022 • Announcement

Auckland Track & Field Championships

23 December 2021 • Events

U16 & U18 North Island Interprovincials

22 December 2021 • Announcement

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from AAI

13 December 2021 • Announcement

Introducing Get Set Go at Home with Athletics NZ

7 December 2021 • Announcement

2022 Colgate Games to Go Ahead

22 November 2021 • Announcement

NCAA Div 1, Cross Country Championship Final

19 November 2021 • Announcement

McKinnon Shield 1

15 November 2021 • Announcement

Upcoming Officials Seminars

11 November 2021 • Announcement

Auckland 5000m Championships

8 November 2021 • Announcement

McKinnon Shield to start on Saturday 20th November

8 November 2021 • Announcement

Club Night and Centre Training Days

28 October 2021 • Events

2022 Colgate Games

25 October 2021 • Announcement

McKinnon Shield Event Grid 2021/22

7 October 2021 • Announcement

Mt Smart Stadium Re-Open for Training

6 October 2021 • Announcement

Auckland Road Championships Cancelled

4 October 2021 • Announcement

Event Update – 4th October 2021

17 September 2021 • Announcement

Auckland Race Walker Alana Barber Retires

3 September 2021 • Announcement

Covid 19 Lockdown Auckland

23 August 2021 • Announcement

A Guide to the Paralympics

23 August 2021 • Announcement

ACA Relays – A Covid-19 Exposure Site

10 August 2021 • Events

NZ Cross Country Championships – Dunedin

22 July 2021 • Coaching

Aspire Winter Track & Field Academy

14 July 2021 • General

Track & Field Officials of the Year

14 July 2021 • Coaching

Athletics NZ Coach The Coach Workshops

13 July 2021 • General

McKinnon Shield Presentation

12 July 2021 • Announcement

Athletics NZ weekly round up

15 June 2021 • General

GP 3 Incorporating Auckland Teams Race

3 June 2021 • Uncategorized

For an update on upcoming Coaching Courses

31 May 2021 • Announcement

Ronan Lee storms home to win #XC2021 Round 2

31 May 2021 • Announcement

Samoan Language Week

17 May 2021 • Announcement

Athletics Auckland Grand Prix Race Results

15 March 2021 • Announcement

Colgate Games 2022

5 March 2021 • Announcement

Athletics Auckland Junior Championships 2021

5 March 2021 • Announcement

McKinnon Shield 9 – Competition update

2 March 2021 • Announcement

Nationals update from Athletics New Zealand

28 February 2021 • Announcement

Athletics Auckland Weekly Review – 1st March 2021

27 February 2021 • Announcement

Athletics NZ Track & Field Championships – Postponed

27 February 2021 • Events

World Athletics Continental Tour – Auckland

22 February 2021 • Announcement

Athletics NZ Child Safety and Member Welfare Update

18 February 2021 • Announcement

Auckland Stadiums Alert Level 2 Guidelines

16 February 2021 • Announcement

Auckland Grade 7-14yrs Championships Postponed

12 February 2021 • Announcement

Porritt Classic 2021

2 February 2021 • General

Officials C Track Seminar

29 January 2021 • Events

Cooks Classic

29 January 2021 • Events

North Island U16 & U18 Interprovincials

28 January 2021 • Coaching

Sprint Relay Session at Mt Smart #2 Arena

26 January 2021 • Events

Auckland Team to NZ Track & Field Champs

25 January 2021 • Announcement

Athletics Auckland Championships – Entries closing

24 January 2021 • Announcement

Auckland Results – McKinnon Shield & Potts Classic

23 January 2021 • Announcement

Alana Barber sets new records at the Potts Classic

18 January 2021 • Announcement

Zoe Hobbs Record Breaking Run!

13 January 2021 • Announcement

Colgate Games Scholarships 2021

21 December 2020 • Announcement

NZ Schools Track & Field Selected Team

21 December 2020 • Announcement

Daikin Night of 5’s – Auckland Women lead the way

17 December 2020 • Announcement

Oceania Area Permit Preview- Night of 5’s

16 December 2020 • Announcement

Athletes Community Award Badge

9 December 2020 • Coaching

Athletics Auckland Junior Festival Meets

4 December 2020 • Announcement

Inter Provincial U16-U18 Auckland Team Named

20 November 2020 • Events

Oceania Athletics One Day Meetings 2020/21

18 November 2020 • General

Getting on with living – Julian Castle

4 November 2020 • Events

Ingrid Frost Completes 300 Marathons

27 October 2020 • Events

NZ Road Race Championships

22 September 2020 • Uncategorized

North Sport Academy Junior Coaching Coordinator Vacancy

14 September 2020 • Announcement

All events cancelled for September

11 September 2020 • Announcement

Mt Smart #2 Arena

4 September 2020 • Announcement

Athletics Auckland Road Relays Cancelled

28 July 2020 • Events

Inter Provincial U16-U18 Newsletter One

26 July 2020 • Announcement

Cross Country & Road

22 July 2020 • General

Keegan Pitcher – Para Athlete

22 July 2020 • General

Anna Steven – Para Athlete T64

1 July 2020 • General

Kaia Tupu-South

26 May 2020 • History

Flashback Thursday – 21st May 2020

14 May 2020 • History

Flashback Thursday – 14th May 2020

8 May 2020 • History

Flashback Thursday – 2nd April 2020

8 May 2020 • History

Flashback Thursday – 7th May 2020

21 April 2020 • Events

2020 Cross Country & Road Season

5 December 2022 • Announcement

Sir Murray Halberg ONZ, KNZM, MBE

OBITUARY

Olympic Gold medallist in Rome 1960, Sir Murray Halberg ONZ, KNZM, MBE, of Auckland died at 7pm on Wednesday 30 November 2022 aged 89.

As Sir Murray was being driven to the Olympic Stadium in Rome in September 1960 with Peter Snell and their coach Arthur Lydiard, Lydiard said to Murray Halberg, Peter Snell is going to win a gold medal before you today. And that victory exemplified the true character and spirit of Murray Halberg who triumphed over adversity.
He was born in Eketahuna but grew up in Auckland and attended Avondale College, He was a budding cricketer and rugby player. But at the age of 17 he was badly injured in the shoulder during a game of rugby. After months of rehabilitation he was left with a withered left arm and he had to teach himself to do everything from writing to eating with his right hand. He responded to this setback by becoming an extremely determined runner. The 5000m gold medal in Rome, as Olympian number 94, represented hours of training including the Sunday morning 22 mile run around the Waitakere Ranges, running from his coach Arthur Lydiard’s home in Wainwright Avenue in Mt Roskill and out through New Lynn, Glen Eden and Oratia and back through Titirangi.
His talent was nurtured by Lydiard, with his endurance training methods.

“Arthur meant everything to me,” said Halberg. “If I’d never met Arthur I would never have become a top runner. There was some talent there, and I may have got as far as winning a New Zealand title. But that would have been it. Arthur’s advice, encouragement and expertise enabled me to become an Olympic champion.”

He won numerous New Zealand junior titles and in 1953 at the age of 20 won the New Zealand senior cross country title. And on the track won five senior one mile titles, and five three mile titles. He set New Zealand records over 1, 2, 3 and 6 miles as well as over 5000 and 10,000m. In 1961 he set world records over 2 and 3 miles.

He first represented New Zealand at the 1954 Vancouver British Empire and Commonwealth Games, where he finished fifth in the mile.
He went on to the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. At Melbourne he reached the final of the 1500m but then ran a poor tactical race slipping back through the field to finish eleventh. Halberg was devastated and he vowed to himself that he would return to the Olympic stage and fulfil what he believed was his destiny to be an Olympic champion.
He first got a taste of gold winning the gold medal over 3 miles at the 1958 Cardiff British Empire and Commonwealth Games before his historic win in Rome where he put 20 metres on the field with his sudden burst holding onto the lead all the way to the tape.
Coach Arthur Lydiard said it was the greatest moment of his coaching career saying at the time “Snell was great so were the others but to take Halberg from his deathbed and see him win an Olympic gold medal now that was something special.”

He went on to win the gold medal over 3 miles at the 1962 Perth British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

He competed at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games in the 5000m and 10,000m where he finished seventh in the 10,000m.

Halberg was the first New Zealander to run a mile under four minutes which he did in Dublin in 1958. And in 1958 he was voted New Zealand Sportsman of the year.

It was while he was in Perth at the Empire Games he was asked by the president of the Ontario Sportswriters and Sports casters Association if he would be a guest speaker at an annual dinner in Canada which was a fund raiser for crippled children. Halberg attended and was impressed with the concept of using sports people as magnets for the public to pay to attend a dinner with the profits going to help children with disabilities. On his return to New Zealand he relaunched the New Zealand Sportsman of the Year dinner and built it up so that it became the focal point of the annual fund-raising campaign for the Halberg Trust which supports children with disabilities. The Murray Halberg Trust for crippled Children held their first Sportsman of the Year dinner on 4 November 1963 at the Manhattan in Mt Roskill.
It is through his selfless dedication to the welfare of disabled children in New Zealand which has won him the most acclaim.
He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1961 for services to athletics. He was the inaugural winner of the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s Lonsdale Cup in 1961. He was knighted in the 1988 New Year Honours for services to sport and crippled children. He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame based in Dunedin in 1990.

In the 2008 Queen’s Birthday honours he was appointed to New Zealand’s highest honour The Order of New Zealand. And a month later was awarded the Blake Medal for his more than 50 years’ service to athletics, and to children with disabilities.
Following his retirement from running he did some coaching and he travelled with New Zealand’s 2002 Commonwealth Games and 2004 Olympic Games teams and proved an inspiring mentor for the athletes.

Described as having acid rather than blood in his veins, and it is his establishment of the Halberg Awards in raising so much money for disabled athletes to express their sporting talents that provides the true legacy of a remarkable New Zealander in much the same way as did the late Sir Edmund Hillary’s work with the Sherpas following his conquest of Everest.

In his book ‘A Clean Pair of Heels’ he concludes with a little story that sums up his career.

‘Bill Baillie, Bill Rodger and I were running through the rain during training in Brisbane. At a bus shelter we stopped and facetiously asked an old woman if we were on the right road to Sydney. She glowered at us and replied “You’re on the right road to the looney bin.” We left her there in the rain laughing her head off.

She thought we were mad. We knew perfectly well we weren’t. We went on running and I would do it all again.”
The Ryman Retirement Village in Lynfield is named after him.

Murray McKinnon

Athletics New Zealand Correspondent

 

Athletics Auckland