News & Updates

7 August 2020 • General

Obituary: Murray Cheater

Hammer throw exponent during the 1970’s and 80’s Murray Cheater of Rotorua passed away on Tuesday 4 August 2020 aged 73.
He was ten times New Zealand hammer throw champion 1974-79 and 1981-84 and he set the New Zealand record in the event on 16 occasions, starting with 54.38m in 1968 and ending with 71.20m in January 1976.
Murray represented New Zealand at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games finishing fifth with 65.82m and is New Zealand Olympian number 338 having competed at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games where he was 16th out of 20 with 67.38m.

Murray competed for the Papatoetoe Club and shifted to Rotorua in the early 1970’s where he was a member of the Rotorua Athletic Club, later Lake City Athletic Club, and was coach of many “throwing” athletes.

He ran a contracting business in Rotorua. His father Bob Cheater was President and a Life Member of Athletics Auckland 1964-66.
A celebration of Murray’s life will be held at the Rotorua Crematorium on Friday 7 August at 11.00am.