Murray Cheater

Murray Cheater
Personal information
Full nameMurray Spencer Cheater
Born(1947-01-26)26 January 1947
Auckland, New Zealand
Died4 August 2020(2020-08-04) (aged 73)
Rotorua, New Zealand
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight100 kg (220 lb)
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportAthletics
EventHammer throw
ClubPapatoetoe Athletic Club
Rotorua Athletic Club
Lake City Athletic Club
Achievements and titles
National finalsHammer throw champion (1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
Personal best71.20 m (233 ft 7 in)

Murray Spencer Cheater (26 January 1947 – 4 August 2020) was a New Zealand hammer thrower who represented his country at the 1976 Summer Olympics.

Biography

Born in Auckland on 26 January 1947, Cheater was the son of Robert Walter Cheater and Joycene Verona Cheater (née Clarke).[1][2] His father later served as president of Athletics Auckland between 1964 and 1966.[2]

Initially competing for the Papatoetoe Athletic Club, Cheater moved to Rotorua in the mid-1970s, becoming a member of the Rotorua Athletic Club, later the Lake City Athletic Club.[2] He won the New Zealand national men's hammer throw title on ten occasions: every year from 1974 to 1984, except in 1980.[3] He broke the New Zealand record for the event 16 times, recording his personal best of 71.20 m in January 1976.[2][4]

Cheater represented New Zealand in the hammer throw at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, where he finished fifth with a best throw of 65.82 m.[5] Two years later, he competed in the men's hammer throw at the 1976 Summer Olympics, recording a best throw of 67.38 m in the qualifying round, to finish in 16th place and not progress to the final.[1][6]

Cheater operated a contracting business in Rotorua.[2] He died in Rotorua on 4 August 2020.[4][7]

References

  1. ^ a b Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Murray Cheater". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Obituary: Murray Cheater". Athletics New Zealand. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  3. ^ Hollings, Stephen (December 2016). "National champions 1887–2016" (PDF). Athletics New Zealand. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b Murray Cheater at Olympedia (archive)
  5. ^ "Murray Cheater". Commonwealth Games Federation. 2018.
  6. ^ Murray Cheater at the New Zealand Olympic Committee
  7. ^ "Murray Cheater death notice". Rotorua Daily Post. 6 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.