James George Leckie (9 October 1903 – 25 June 1982) was a New Zealand

track and field athlete Track and field is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of ...

who won a bronze medal at the

1938 British Empire Games The 1938 British Empire Games was the third British Empire Games, the event that evolved to become the Commonwealth Games. Held in Sydney, Australia from 5–12 February 1938, they were timed to coincide with Sydney's sesqui-centenary (150 ye ...

Early life and family

Born at

Blueskin Bay Blueskin Bay is an estuary in coastal Otago, about 25 km north of Dunedin, New Zealand. The name also unofficially describes the rural district which includes the northern slopes of Mount Cargill, the southern slopes of the Kilmog, and the t ...

, north of Dunedin, on 9 October 1903, Leckie was the son of William Gunn Leckie and Helen Cameron Leckie (née Farquharson). He married Daisy Isabella McIntyre on 22 August 1934, and they went on to have three children.

Athletics

Leckie was a four-time winner of the New Zealand hammer throw title at the national amateur athletics championships, in 1932, 1945, 1946, and 1948. Selected to represent New Zealand at the

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

, Leckie was his team's flagbearer at the opening ceremony. He won the bronze medal in the men's hammer throw, with a best distance of . Leckie was also entered for the men's discus, but did not start. Twelve years later at the

1950 British Empire Games The 1950 British Empire Games was the fourth staging of what is now called the Commonwealth Games. It was held in Auckland, New Zealand between 4 and 11 February 1950, after a 12-year gap from the third edition of the games. The main venue was ...

in Auckland, Leckie was the New Zealand team captain. He placed seventh in the men's hammer, recording a best throw of .

Later life and death

During World War II, Leckie was a member of the Home Guard, and was appointed as a temporary

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in February 1943. In civilian life, he was a schoolteacher, and was headmaster at Sawyers Bay School. Leckie died in Dunedin on 25 June 1982.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leckie, Jim 1903 births 1982 deaths Athletes from Dunedin New Zealand male hammer throwers Athletes (track and field) at the 1938 British Empire Games Athletes (track and field) at the 1950 British Empire Games Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for New Zealand Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics New Zealand military personnel of World War II New Zealand schoolteachers Medallists at the 1938 British Empire Games