Colin Kay
Encyclopedia
Colin Kay CBE
(30 October 1926 – 5 June 2008) was a New Zealand sportsman and politician. He was the 34th Mayor of Auckland City
, elected for one term serving from 1980 to 1983, and chairman of the Auckland Regional Council
from 1986 to 1992. He was also the triple jump champion of New Zealand in 1950 and 1951, and represented New Zealand at the 1950 Empire Games in Auckland.
, and Kay attended King's College, Auckland
from 1939 to 1943, where he was a house prefect, and won a tennis championship and an intercollegiate high jump competition. His mother supported his sports, attending all his sports meetings, and telling him to dig a pit in part of the family tennis court so he could practice his jumping. Kay later enrolled in accounting at the University of Auckland
, while not completing his studies he was active in athletics and played rugby. He worked at and later purchased his father's business.
Kay competed in the 1950 British Empire Games
in Auckland, coming 8th in the hop step and jump at 13.91m. He was the New Zealand triple jump champion in 1950 with a jump of 14.14m, and in 1951 with a jump of 14.31m.
The University of Auckland Athletics Club successfully nominated Kay to lead the national team to the 1962 Commonwealth Games team in Perth, where New Zealand won 32 medals including 10 golds. He achieved a goal to raise $150,000 for the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, and was on the board of directors for the 1990 Commonwealth Games
in Auckland.
Kay founded the Auckland Joggers Club with Arthur Lydiard
in 1962, and the annual Auckland Round the Bays fun run in 1973. With Douglas Myers
in 1977 he jointly founded the New Zealand Sports Foundation, where he served as Governor for 16 years. He was a founder and the chairman of the Peter Snell Institute of Sport in 2000, and organisation with the objective of finding and promoting sporting talent in New Zealand.
He was first elected to the Auckland City Council in 1971, and was later elected mayor of Auckland in 1980, succeeding Dove-Myer Robinson
.
He received a CBE in the 1990 New Year honours, for services to sport, politics and the community. He died in 2008, more than one year after suffering a major stroke, and was survived by his wife and three sons.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(30 October 1926 – 5 June 2008) was a New Zealand sportsman and politician. He was the 34th Mayor of Auckland City
Mayor of Auckland City
The Mayor of Auckland City was the directly elected head of the Auckland City Council, the municipal government of Auckland City, New Zealand. The office existed from 1871 to 2010, when Auckland City Council was abolished and replaced with the Auckland Council....
, elected for one term serving from 1980 to 1983, and chairman of the Auckland Regional Council
Auckland Regional Council
The Auckland Regional Council was the regional council of the Auckland Region. Its predecessor the Auckland Regional Authority was formed in 1963 and became the ARC in 1989...
from 1986 to 1992. He was also the triple jump champion of New Zealand in 1950 and 1951, and represented New Zealand at the 1950 Empire Games in Auckland.
Biography
Kay was born in Auckland in 1926, his father owned and operated a womenswear manufacturing and retailing business, and his mother was a homemaker. The family lived in RemueraRemuera
Remuera is a residential suburban area within Auckland city, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located four kilometres to the southeast of the city centre...
, and Kay attended King's College, Auckland
King's College, Auckland
King's College is an independent secondary school in New Zealand. It was originally a boys-only school but now also admits girls in the sixth and seventh forms . The school has strong links to the Anglican church; the Anglican Bishop of Auckland, and the Dean of Auckland are permanent members of...
from 1939 to 1943, where he was a house prefect, and won a tennis championship and an intercollegiate high jump competition. His mother supported his sports, attending all his sports meetings, and telling him to dig a pit in part of the family tennis court so he could practice his jumping. Kay later enrolled in accounting at the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
, while not completing his studies he was active in athletics and played rugby. He worked at and later purchased his father's business.
Kay competed in the 1950 British Empire Games
1950 British Empire Games
The 1950 British Empire Games was the fourth edition of what is now called the Commonwealth Games. It was held in Auckland, New Zealand between the 4th and 11th of February 1950, after a 12-year gap from the 3rd edition of the games...
in Auckland, coming 8th in the hop step and jump at 13.91m. He was the New Zealand triple jump champion in 1950 with a jump of 14.14m, and in 1951 with a jump of 14.31m.
The University of Auckland Athletics Club successfully nominated Kay to lead the national team to the 1962 Commonwealth Games team in Perth, where New Zealand won 32 medals including 10 golds. He achieved a goal to raise $150,000 for the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, and was on the board of directors for the 1990 Commonwealth Games
1990 Commonwealth Games
The 1990 Commonwealth Games were held in Auckland, New Zealand from 24 January-3 February 1990. It was the 14th Commonwealth Games, and part of New Zealand's 1990 sesquicentennial celebrations. Participants competed in ten sports: athletics, aquatics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, judo,...
in Auckland.
Kay founded the Auckland Joggers Club with Arthur Lydiard
Arthur Lydiard
Arthur Leslie Lydiard, ONZ, OBE, was a New Zealand runner and athletics coach. He has been lauded as one of the outstanding athletics coaches of all time and is credited with popularizing the sport of running and making it commonplace across the sporting world...
in 1962, and the annual Auckland Round the Bays fun run in 1973. With Douglas Myers
Douglas Myers (New Zealand businessman)
Sir Arthur Douglas Myers, KNZM, CBE is a New Zealand businessman and one of the country's richest men ....
in 1977 he jointly founded the New Zealand Sports Foundation, where he served as Governor for 16 years. He was a founder and the chairman of the Peter Snell Institute of Sport in 2000, and organisation with the objective of finding and promoting sporting talent in New Zealand.
He was first elected to the Auckland City Council in 1971, and was later elected mayor of Auckland in 1980, succeeding Dove-Myer Robinson
Dove-Myer Robinson
Sir Dove-Myer Robinson was Mayor of Auckland City from 1959 to 1965 and from 1968 to 1980, the longest tenure of any holder of the office....
.
He received a CBE in the 1990 New Year honours, for services to sport, politics and the community. He died in 2008, more than one year after suffering a major stroke, and was survived by his wife and three sons.