Precious considering moving on again

Press, 12 August 1978, Page 14

Precious considering moving on again

F From ROD DEW in Edmonton

Precious McKenzie, the South Africa n-born weight-litter who won his fourth Commonwealth Games gold medal in a New Zealand singlet on the first day of competition. is looking for a job in Canada. “If the right iob came my way in Canda, I wouldn’t hesitate to accept It.” he said yesterday. McKenzie is a qualified physical education specialist. He trained in England after leaving South Africa in 1964. It was as an England representative that he won his first three weightlifting gold medals.

But after the Christchurch Games four years ago, he was offered three jobs in New’ Zealand. He stayed, and now' he is putting out feelers in Canada. This is hardly surprising when one compares the average wage rates in Canada with those prevailing in New Zealand. But McKenzie feels he might have trouble moving his 10-year-old son. “He has become a right little KiwL” he said. “He is hooked on rugby.”

If McKenzie, now 42, elects to stay in Canada, it will not increase that country’s gold medal tally in the weight-lifting at the next Commonwealth Games. McKenzie yesterday confirmed that he was retiring from weight-lift-ing to concentrate on bowls. And he does not plan on playing bowls just for relaxation — he has his sights on representing some country’ at the next Commonwealth Games as a bowler. “I am an all-round athlete. I will start practising as soon as I get back home to New Zealand.”