Athletics New Zealand – NEWS – John Walker Knighted – He was Olympic champion, winning gold in the 1500m at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games

John Walker received a Knighthood in the Queen's Birthday honours. Sir John was made a Knight Companion for services to sport and the community.

Walker aged 57 competed internationally for 19 years, set three world records, 1 mile 3m 49.4s, first athlete under 3m 50s, 2000m 4m 51.4s and 1500m indoors 3m 37.4s. He was Olympic champion, winning gold in the 1500m at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, silver medallist 1500m and bronze medallist 800m at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games and silver medallist 1500m at the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games. Walker's career was disrupted by injury and he had to miss the 1978 Commonwealth Games while politics meant he could not defend his Olympic 1500m title in Moscow in 1980.

Walker was the first athlete to run 100 sub four minute miles on 17th February 1985, he won eight New Zealand 800m titles between 1972 and 1990 and seven New Zealand 1500m titles between 1974 and 1986. He was attempting to become the first 40 year old to run a sub four minute mile during the summer of 1992 when injury finally forced a halt to his career.

He received the Lonsdale Cup in 1975 in recognition of the world mile record and again in 1976 in recognition of the Olympic Games gold medal.

Walker was athlete of the year by Track and Field News in the States in 1975 and was ranked number one in the world for 1500m by Track and Field News in 1974, 1975 and 1976. He was New Zealand Sportsperson of the year in 1975 and 1976, voted New Zealand Sportsperson of the decade 1970-79 and was joint winner with Sir Richard Hadlee of New Zealand Sportsperson for the 25 years 1963 to 1987. He was a foundation inductee into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.

He received a New Zealand 1990 medal and in 1995 the IOC presented him with the Olympic Bronze Order. Walker was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame again in 2005 as a member of the New Zealand cross country team that won the world title in Morocco in 1975.

He received the OBE in the 1976 New Year's honours and the CBE in the 1992 Queen's Birthday honours.
Walker is a former member of the New Zealand Sports Foundation Board of Governors, chaired the athletes commission of the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association, which included redrafting the contract which govern the relationship between the Olympic Committee and team members, and was Chief Barker and President of the Variety Club of New Zealand.

In the course of a long career Walker has provided inspiration to many young New Zealanders and has been an exceptional ambassador for New Zealand particularly while overseas, he has always acted in what he believed to be the best interests of New Zealand sport and has given much time and energy in the pursuit of better sporting opportunities for all New Zealanders.

Last year Walker, a fourth term Manukau City Councillor, founded 'Find your Field of Dreams Foundation' a charitable trust aimed at encouraging the young people of Manukau to pursue a more active lifestyle through sport and physical recreation that would lead to a fitter, healthier and more caring community.
Roy Williams writing in the Sunday Star-Times in 1992 after Walker had announced his retirement said that throughout his career Walker always had time for the common touch.

Several days before Walker's 1500m Olympic victory in 1976 he was standing at a set of traffic lights in downtown Montreal with his teammate Rod Dixon. The two were talking when a blind gentleman heard what was to him an unusual accent. "Where are you from?" he said. "New Zealand," they said. "Are you here for the Games?" he enquired. "Yes," they replied. "In fact, we're competing." "Maybe you know John Walker," he said. "That's me," Walker replied.

Walker and Dixon then helped the blind gentleman across the road and after further conversation invited him to have dinner with them that night.

ALEC McNAB HONOURED
Alec McNab of Wanganui received the Queen's Service Medal for services to sport. McNab is the director of sport at Wanganui Collegiate School and has been heavily involved with athletics and the Wanganui Club for many years as a coach, official and administrator. He was awarded an Athletics New Zealand Merit Award in 2002.

Athletics New Zealand – NEWS