The athletics community is mourning the loss of Don Wiberg, who held the honour of winning the first New Zealand road title nearly 60 years ago.
A long-standing member of the Onehunga club in Auckland, Don competed in the inaugural New Zealand Road Race Championships in Masterton on 19 October, 1963. The race was part of the Golden Games athletic meeting at Queen Elizabeth Park.
He won convincingly, completing the four-lap course in 52:02. Tom Marshall of Otago was second in 53:17.
Don also won the Auckland junior cross country title two years in a row in the 1950s and another notable victory was the 1962 Great Eastern road race.
He was guest of honour at the 1999 New Zealand Road Race Championships in Albany, Auckland where he presented the senior medals.
Don sadly passed away on Tuesday 16 February at the age of 81.