David Closs McKenzie (born 16 March 1943 in
Dunollie,
Grey District
Grey District is a district in the West Coast Region of New Zealand that covers Greymouth, Runanga, Blackball, Cobden, and settlements along the Grey River. It has a land area of . The seat of the Grey District Council, the local government aut ...
) is a former
long-distance runner from New Zealand. McKenzie won the
Boston Marathon in 1967, setting a new course record of 2 hours 15 minutes 45 seconds. He was the first New Zealander to win the Boston Marathon.
A 24-year-old printer with the ''Greymouth Evening Star'' at the time, he lived in
Rūnanga
In Tikanga Māori (Māori culture or practice), a (runaka in Southern Māori dialect) is a tribal council, assembly, board or boardroom. The term can also be a verb meaning "to discuss in an assembly". An iwi (tribe) can have one governing rūna ...
on the
West Coast. McKenzie had won eight of his 10 previous marathons and was voted West Coast Sportsman of the Year for two successive years. Described as "diminutive, McKenzie is 5 feet, 4 inches in height, weighing only 8 stone, 8 pounds."
McKenzie represented New Zealand in the men's marathon at two consecutive
Summer Olympics, starting in
Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital city, capital and primate city, largest city of Mexico, and the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North Amer ...
(1968).
Achievements
*
All results regarding marathon, unless stated otherwise
References
New Zealand Olympic Committee
1943 births
Living people
New Zealand male long-distance runners
New Zealand male marathon runners
Olympic athletes for New Zealand
Athletes (track and field) at the 1968 Summer Olympics
Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics
Boston Marathon male winners
People educated at Greymouth High School
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