News & Updates

Don Chadderton of Christchurch, who gave over 60 years of service to the sport, passed away on Friday 18 September 2020.

His lasting legacy to his lifetime of service is the creation as a founding member of the New Zealand secondary schools athletics association from 1973 to 1991.

He had a long and distinguished career touching many different aspects of athletics including competitor, coach and administrator. He won Canterbury titles and represented Canterbury at New Zealand championships. As a coach he was the youngest to obtain the NZAAA coaching diploma in 1960 and was the first national coach in race walking and was manager of the New Zealand junior development squad from 1992 to 1996.

He was the first New Zealander appointed to the IAAF race walking judges’ panel in 1974 and judged at six Commonwealth Games including 1974 in Christchurch and 1990 in Auckland. 

He received an Athletics New Zealand merit award in 2003, was president of Athletics New Zealand 2004-05 and was made a life member of Athletics New Zealand at a function at the Papanui Club on 25 August 2020.