Neil Wilson (athlete)

Neil Wilson
Personal information
Birth nameNeil Thomas Osborne Wilson
Born(1930-04-08)8 April 1930
Epsom, New Zealand
Died14 August 2023(2023-08-14) (aged 93)
Motueka, New Zealand
SpouseRaewyn Joy Clark (d. 2014)
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportTrack and field
Achievements and titles
National finals880 yards champion (1951)

Neil Thomas Osborne Wilson (8 April 1930 – 14 August 2023) was a New Zealand runner who represented his country at the 1950 British Empire Games.

Early life and education

Wilson was born in the Auckland suburb of Epsom on 8 April 1930, the son of Lois Annabell Rona Wilson (née Knight) and Allan Baxter Wilson.[1][2][3] He was educated at King's College, Auckland.[4]

Athletics

Wilson gained national attention as a junior, winning the national men's under-19 880 yards title in both 1948 and 1949, and the national men's under-19 1 mile title in 1949. He also won the national men's under-19 cross-country championship in 1948.[5]

At the 1950 British Empire Games, Wilson competed in the men's 880 yards. He ran second in his heat, recording a personal-best time of 1:53.2,[6] and advanced to the final, where he ran a time of 1:53.7 to finish in fourth place.[7]

In 1951, Wilson won the New Zealand national men's 880 yards championship title in a time of 1:56.1.[5]

Personal life

Wilson married Raewyn Joy Clark in about 1955, and the couple went on to have two children.[2][8] Wilson died in Motueka on 14 August 2023, at the age of 93,[9] having been predeceased by his wife, Raewyn Wilson, in 2014.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Death search: registration number 2023/24649". Births, deaths & marriages online. Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b Owen, Annette and Arthur. "Neil Thomas Osborne Wilson". Our Maritime Ties. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Births". Auckland Star. Vol. 61, no. 83. 8 April 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2023 – via PapersPast.
  4. ^ "School steeplechases". Auckland Star. 29 September 1944. p. 7. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b Hollings, Stephen (October 2019). "National champions 1887–2019" (PDF). Athletics New Zealand. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Fast half-miles". Otago Daily Times. 6 February 1950. p. 5. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Empire Games". Ashburton Guardian. 8 February 1950. p. 4. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Raewyn Wilson obituary". The New Zealand Herald. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Neil Wilson obituary". The New Zealand Herald. 19 August 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.