Precious gold for New Zealand
A little New Zealand weight-lifter is being hailed as the greatest Commonwealth sportsman of modern times. Precious Patrick McKenzie is the toast of Edmonton after winning the gold medal in the bantam-weight division and becoming the first to win gold medals in four successive Commonwealth Games, writes Rod Dew from Edmonton.
Born in South Africa but forced to leave because he was the wrong colour and could not get international competition, McKenzie won his three other gold medals as an England representative. But at the Christchurch Games four years age he fell in love with New Zealand and its people, and he stayed. He has done more for racial harmony in Edmonton than a thousand diplo-
mats could have achieved in a dozen lifetimes. On Saturday evening (New Zealand time) he lifted 200 kg to win on a body weight count-back after Tamil Seivan (India) had lifted the same weight. But there was only one man in the competition as far as the crowd in the Jubilee Auditorium was concerned — Precious McKenzie. The Queen arrived during the contest for one of
her usually brief visits to the various sports, but stayed to the end. It was just one tribute to a great sportsman. The crowd was so absorbed with the contest that it forgot the Queen was there. “I feel as if I am in Buckingham Palace to receive my M.8.E.,” a smiling McKenzie said later. “This is the best thing I have ever done.” McKenzie is 42, and at I.Bm (4ft Ilin) tall is
among the smallest competitors in Edmonton. But among Canadians he is a giant of the sports arena. Things will not be quite the same now that he has decided to bow to advancing years and retire.
THE PRESS Asma
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Press, 7 August 1978, Page 1
Word Count
299Precious gold for New Zealand Press, 7 August 1978, Page 1
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