News & Updates

Highly respected and long standing administrator and official Mhyre Oman of Hamilton passed away on Monday 3 July 2023 aged 82.

Her career in athletics spanned nearly 50 years, from being involved as a committee member of the Frankton Athletic Club in the 1970’s to the Hamilton City Hawks Club and then involvement with Athletics Waikato Bay of Plenty. Mhyre was secretary of the Centre from 1983 to 2005, received a service award in 1990, was president in 1991 and was made a life member in 1999. She managed Waikato teams to national championships for 15 years.

Mhyre was on the former council of Athletics New Zealand from 1988 to 1996, received the long service award in 1992, the merit award in 2001, outstanding contribution to sport award in 2005, vice-president of Athletics New Zealand in 2006 and president in 2007. Mhyre was honoured with life membership in 2016. She went on to the Awards Committee in 2017 and made convenor of the committee in 2020. In 1992 Mhyre was the assistant manager of the New Zealand team to the Ekiden road relay in Chiba Japan.

As an official Mhyre has been a member of the official association since its inception. She has been a Centre official for 43 years as a starter, and photo timing.

Her contribution to Athletics New Zealand as an official has been outstanding, involved with entries to national championships and compiling of the results over the duration of the championships. She also was a member of the entries and results at the 2001 world veteran championships in Brisbane.

She was a control room official at the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games and later attended an Oceania officials course in Canberra in 1992.

Mhyre will be sadly missed and national championships won’t be the same with the ever helpful and friendly Mhyre no longer in the control room. Our condolences to her family.