John DAVIES

London-born Davies moved to New Zealand with his family in 1953 when he was a teenager. He was one of Arthur Lydiard's "stable" of athletes and finished second to Peter Snell in the one mile at the British Empire Games in Perth in 1962 and two years later, was third behind Snell and Josef Odložil of Czechoslovakia in the 1500 metres at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Persistent injury cut short Davies' career but he continued as coach, promoter, television commentator and administrator. Among athletes he coached were Olympic bronze medallist marathoners Mike Ryan (1968) and Lorraine Moller (1992) and world 5000 metres record-breakers Dick Quax and Anne Audain. Davies and Quax later combined to promote international and corporate athletics meets in New Zealand. Meanwhile, Davies turned his attention to administration, sitting on the board of New Zealand Athletics, and the organization of the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland. He was elected president of the New Zealand Olympic Committee in 2000, but his term was cut short by his health. He died of melanoma, aged 65.

Personal Best: 1500 – 3:39.6 (1964).