New Zealand athlete and politician
Les Mills
CNZM MBE JP
Mills (right) as flagbearer for New Zealand at the 1960 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
In office 1990–1998Preceded by Catherine Tizard Succeeded by Christine Fletcher
Born Leslie Roy Mills
(1934-11-01 ) 1 November 1934 (age 87) Auckland , New ZealandSpouse(s) (d. 2005) Children Phillip Mills Sports career Height 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) Weight 121 kg (267 lb) Sport Athletics Event(s) Shot put , discus throw Club Auckland Personal best(s) Shot put – 19.80 m (1967) Discus – 61.52 m (1971)[1] [2]
Leslie Roy Mills CNZM MBE JP (born 1 November 1934) is a retired New Zealand track and field athlete and politician. He represented New Zealand at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games over two decades, competing in the shot put and discus throw . At the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games he achieved his best result, a gold medal in the discus.[1]
Mills opened his first gym in 1968[3] and gives his name to Les Mills International , a company founded by his son Phillip Mills .[4] He was Mayor of Auckland , New Zealand's largest city, from 1990 to 1998.
Athletics career [ ]
1952: Wins New Zealand Junior shot put and discus titles
1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games : discus, silver medal[1]
1960 Summer Olympics : Captain and flagbearer for the New Zealand Team.[5] Placed 11th in the shot put, and 28th in the discus.[1]
1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games : 5th place discus, 6th place shot put.[1]
1964 Summer Olympics : 7th place shot put.[1]
1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games : gold medal discus, silver medal shot put.[1]
1968 Summer Olympics : Competed injured, 11th place shot put.[1]
1970 British Commonwealth Games : silver medal in the discus and a bronze in shot put.[1]
1972 Summer Olympics : Olympic flagbearer for New Zealand.[5] 14th place discus, 23rd shot put.[1]
1974–1976 National Sports Director of Papua New Guinea .
1977–1979 First Director of Coaching in Athletics for New Zealand.
1978 Commonwealth Games New Zealand Coach.
Mills trained New Zealand throwers, such as Beatrice Faumuina . His personal best for the shot put was a New Zealand national record for 44 years, until 16-year-old Jacko Gill broke it on 23 April 2011 with a throw of 20.01 m[6]
Mayor of Auckland City [ ]
Mills served as the Mayor of Auckland City between 1990 and 1998.[7] His Mayoral term commenced with a by-election in 1990 after the resignation of Dame Catherine Tizard , who had been appointed Governor-General . The new council had been formed following local body amalgamation in 1989 which saw many of the district borough councils merged into one larger city. Mills' first term oversaw the merger of these many district boroughs into one city. The Aotea Centre was also opened at the beginning of his term. Other initiatives which commenced on Mills' watch as Mayor included the introduction of the green "wheelie bins", metered user charges for water use, council assets like golf courses were leased to private management, and the city also quit some assets that no longer were of priority, like its abattoir.
Other major events during Mills' tenure included work commencing on the America's Cup Village at the Auckland viaduct, the commencement and opening of the Sky Tower and Casino complex that now dominates the Auckland skyline, the redevelopment of the Civic theatre , and refurbishment of the Auckland Town Hall .
During this period, the 1998 Auckland power crisis occurred, which shut down most of the inner city. Mills' Britomart Transport Centre plans also came under some criticism as being too focused on property development and not enough on transport. His successor Christine Fletcher led plans for a scaled down Britomart Station without the large property development plans.
Mills was defeated in a three-way contest against businessman and eventual winner Christine Fletcher in 1998. Mills himself was absent for most of the election campaign, leading the New Zealand team at the 1998 Commonwealth Games , and mentoring the gold medal winning discus thrower Beatrice Faumuina .
Honours [ ]
In the 1973 Queen's Birthday Honours , Mills was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire , for services to sport.[8] In the 2002 Queen's Birthday and Golden Jubilee Honours , he was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit , for services to local government and sport.[9]
References [ ]
External links [ ]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Les Mills .
Political offices
Preceded byCatherine Tizard
Mayor of Auckland City 1990–1998
Succeeded byChristine Fletcher
Awards
Preceded by
Lonsdale Cup of the New Zealand Olympic Committee 1971
Succeeded byRod Dixon
Commonwealth Games champions in men's discus throw
1930–1934: Harry Hart (SAF)
1938: Eric Coy (CAN)
1950: Ian Reed (AUS)
1954–1958: Fanie du Plessis (SAF)
1962: Warwick Selvey (AUS)
1966: Les Mills (NZL)
1970: George Puce (CAN)
1974: Robin Tait (NZL)
1978: Borys Chambul (CAN)
1982: Brad Cooper (BAH)
1986: Ray Lazdins (CAN)
1990: Adewale Olukoju (NGR)
1994: Werner Reiterer (AUS)
1998: Robert Weir (ENG)
2002: Frantz Kruger (RSA)
2006: Scott Martin (AUS)
2010: Benn Harradine (AUS)
2014: Vikas Gowda (IND)
2018: Fedrick Dacres (JAM)
AAA Championships winners in men's discus throw
1876–1939
1876–1913: Not held
1914: Armas Taipale (FIN)
1915–19: Not held
1920: Patrick Quinn (IRE)
1921: Oscar Zallhagen (SWE)
1922: Vilho Niittymaa (FIN)
1923:
1924–26: Paddy Bermingham (IRL)
1927: Kálmán Marvalits (HUN)
1928: Ernst Paulus (GER)
1929: Harald Stenerud (NOR)
1930: Jules Noël (FRA)
1931: Endre Madarász (HUN)
1932: Paddy Bermingham (IRL)
1933: Endre Madarász (HUN)
1934: Paddy Bermingham (IRL)
1935: Harald Andersson (SWE)
1936: Bernard Prendergast (JAM)
1937: Nikolaos Syllas (GRE)
1938: Adolfo Consolini (ITA)
1939: Nikolaos Syllas (GRE)
1946–59 1960–2006
1960: Mike Lindsay
1961: (RSA)
1962: Jay Silvester (USA)
1963: Dave Weill (USA)
1964: Roy Hollingsworth
1965: Lars Haglund (SWE)
1966–70: Bill Tancred
1971: Les Mills (NZL)
1972–73: Bill Tancred
1974: John Powell (USA)
1975: John van Reenen (RSA)
1976: John Powell (USA)
1977–78: Pete Tancred
1979: John Powell (USA)
1980: Brian Oldfield (USA)
1981: John Powell (USA)
1982: Brad Cooper (BAH)
1983–84: Robert Weir
1985: Juan Martínez (CUB)
1986: Richard Slaney
1987–89: Paul Mardle
1990: Abi Ekoku
1991–92: Werner Reiterer (AUS)
1993: Robert Weir
1994: Kevin Brown
1995: Nick Sweeney (IRL)
1996–2000: Robert Weir
2001: Glen Smith
2002: Robert Weir
2003–04: Emeka Udechuku
2005–06: Carl Myerscough
AAA Championships winners in men's shot put
1876–1914
1880:
1881: Maurice Davin (IRL)
1882: George Ross
1883–84: (IRL)
1885:
1886–87: James Mitchell (IRL)
1888: George Gray (CAN)
1889: William Barry (IRL) &
1890:
1891–92: William Barry (IRL)
1893–99: Denis Horgan (IRL)
1900: Richard Sheldon USA
1901–02: Wesley Coe USA
1903: Tom Nicolson
1904–05: Denis Horgan (IRL)
1906–07:
1908–10: Denis Horgan (IRL)
1911: James Barrett (IRL)
1912: Denis Horgan (IRL)
1913: Einar Nilsson SWE
1914: Armas Taipale FIN
1919–39 1946–59 1960–2006
New Zealand national champions in men's discus throw
1921–1923:
1924:
1925–1926:
1927:
1928–1930:
1931: Harlow Rothert (USA)
1932–1935:
1936–1938:
1939: Jack Morgan
1940:
1941–1944: not held
1945:
1946–1951: Gus Redmond
1952:
1953: Harold Moody
1954:
1955: Les Mills
1956: Roy Williams
1957–1962: Les Mills
1963: Robin Tait
1964:
1965: Robin Tait
1966–1967: Les Mills
1968–1970: Robin Tait
1971–1972: Les Mills
1973–1974: Robin Tait
1975:
1976: Robin Tait
1977: Mac Wilkins (USA)
1978–1983: Robin Tait
1984: Henry Smith (SAM)
1985: Mac Wilkins (USA)
1986–1988: Henry Smith (SAM)
1989–1990:
1991–1992:
1993: Henry Smith (SAM)
1994–1995: Chris Mene
1996: (NOR)
1997: Chris Mene
1998: Virgilijus Alekna (LTU)
1999: Sergey Lyakhov (RUS)
2000–2001: Ian Winchester
2002: Chris Mene
2003: Shaka Sola (SAM)
2004–2005: Bertrand Vili (NCL)
2006: Shaka Sola (SAM)
2007: Bertrand Vili (NCL)
2008:
2009: Bertrand Vili (NCL)
2010–2012:
2013: Tom Walsh
2014–2019:
2020: (CAN)
2021: Connor Bell
New Zealand national champions in men's shot put
1890:
1891–1892: Tim O'Connor
1893–1894:
1895:
1896:
1897: Tim O'Connor
1898: Hugh Good
1899:
1900:
1901:
1902:
1903–1905:
1906:
1907:
1908–1909:
1910:
1911:
1912:
1913:
1914: J. Murray
1915:
1916–1919: not held
1920–1922:
1923: Jack Merchant (USA)
1924:
1925–1926:
1927: Ernest Sutherland
1928–1930:
1931: Harlow Rothert (USA)
1932–1935:
1936:
1937:
1938–1939:
1940:
1941–1944: not held
1945–1946:
1947–1949:
1950:
1951:
1952–1953: Harold Moody
1954:
1955: Les Mills
1956: A. Jefferies
1957–1962: Les Mills
1963: Robin Tait
1964:
1965–1970: Les Mills
1971: Robin Tait
1972: Les Mills
1973–1974: Robin Tait
1975–1976:
1977: Mac Wilkins (USA)
1978–1981: Henry Smith (SAM)
1982:
1983–1986: Henry Smith (SAM)
1987:
1988: Henry Smith (SAM)
1989:
1990: Courtney Ireland
1991: Simon Poelman
1992:
1993: Henry Smith (SAM)
1994–1995:
1996:
1997–1998: Ian Winchester
1999: Sergey Lyakhov (RUS)
2000–2001: Ian Winchester
2002: Bertrand Vili (NCL)
2003–2006: Shaka Sola (SAM)
2007:
2008–2010: (FRA)
2011: Liu Yang (CHN)
2012–2021: Tom Walsh
1958 New Zealand British Empire and Commonwealth Games team
Athletics Boxing
Paddy Donovan
Graham Finlay
Cycling Diving Fencing
Bob Binning
Enid McElwee
Elizabeth Mitchell
Brian Pickworth
Lawn bowls Rowing Swimming
Philippa Gould
Tessa Staveley
Weightlifting Wrestling
1960 New Zealand Olympic team
Athletics Cycling Equestrian Fencing Field hockey Rowing Sailing Weightlifting Wrestling
1962 New Zealand British Empire and Commonwealth Games team
Athletics
Logan Aikman
Bill Baillie
Nola Bond
Marise Chamberlain
Molly Cowan
Paul Dallow
John Davies
Murray Halberg
Jeff Julian
Barry Magee
Avis McIntosh
Les Mills
Dave Norris
Edward O'Keefe
Doreen Porter
Barry Robinson
Peter Snell
Robin Tait
Valerie Young
Boxing
Wallace Coe
Paddy Donovan
Turori George
Bill Kini
Cycling Fencing Lawn bowls Rowing
Leslie Arthur
Darien Boswell
Colin Cordes
Alistair Dryden
Alan Grey
Keith Heselwood
James Hill
Christian Larsen
Graham Lawrence
Murray Lawrence
Louis Lobel
Robert Page
George Paterson
Doug Pulman
Hugh Smedley
Winston Stephens
Murray Watkinson
Peter Watkinson
Alan Webster
Swimming
Dave Gerrard
Vivien Haddon
Margaret Macrae
Alan Robertson
Allan Seagar
Weightlifting Wrestling
1964 New Zealand Olympic team
Athletics
Bill Baillie
Marise Chamberlain
John Davies
Murray Halberg
Jeff Julian
Ivan Keats
Barry Magee
Avis McIntosh
Les Mills
Doreen Porter
Ray Puckett
Neville Scott
Valerie Young
Peter Snell
Boxing
Paddy Donovan
Brian Maunsell
Cycling
Laurie Byers
Arthur Candy
Max Grace
Richard Johnstone
Des Thomson
Equestrian
Bruce Hansen
Graeme Hansen
Adrian White
Gymnastics
Pauline Gardiner
Theodora Hill
Jean Spencer
Field hockey Rowing
Darien Boswell
Mark Brownlee
Alexander Clark
Peter Delaney
Alistair Dryden
John Gibbons
Peter Masfen
Robert Page
George Paterson
Tony Popplewell
Doug Pulman
Raymond Skinner
Dudley Storey
Murray Watkinson
Alan Webster
Sailing Swimming Weightlifting Wrestling
1966 New Zealand British Empire and Commonwealth Games team
Athletics
Bill Baillie
Roger Johnson
Jeff Julian
Brenda Matthews
Les Mills
Dave Norris
Norman Read
Mike Ryan
Marise Stephen
Ian Studd
Robin Tait
Peter Welsh
Roy Williams
Valerie Young
Badminton Boxing Cycling
Laurie Byers
Tino Tabak
Des Thomson
Richie Thomson
Diving Fencing Shooting
Maurice Gordon
Brian Lacey
Tom Sutherland
Swimming Weightlifting Wrestling Team manager:
1968 New Zealand Olympic team
Athletics
Roger Johnson
Rex Maddaford
Evan Maguire
Dave McKenzie
Les Mills
Sylvia Potts
Mike Ryan
Robin Tait
Peter Welsh
Cycling
Bryce Beeston
John Dean
Neil Lyster
Des Thomson
Richie Thomson
Field hockey
John Anslow
Jan Borren
Roger Capey
John Christensen
John Hicks
Bruce Judge
Barry Maister
Selwyn Maister
Trevor Manning
Alan McIntyre
Ross McPherson
Alan Patterson
Ted Salmon
Bill Thomson
Keith Thomson
Rowing
Mark Brownlee
Gil Cawood
Warren Cole
Ross Collinge
Simon Dickie
Alistair Dryden
John Gibbons
John Hunter
Dick Joyce
Tom Just
Robert Page
Dudley Storey
Wybo Veldman
Alan Webster
Sailing
Jonty Farmer
Ralph Roberts
Geoffrey Smale
Shooting Swimming
Pru Chapman
Tui Shipston
Glenda Stirling
Sandra Whittleston
Weightlifting
1970 New Zealand British Commonwealth Games team
Athletics
Jack Foster
Penny Hunt
Roger Johnson
Jeff Julian
Sally Mene
Les Mills
Warwick Nicholl
Dave Norris
Sylvia Potts
Barbara Poulsen
Dick Quax
Anne Smith
Robin Tait
Dick Tayler
Roy Williams
Badminton Boxing Cycling Diving Fencing Lawn bowls Swimming
Susan Hunter
Glenda Stirling
Mark Treffers
Judy Wright
Weightlifting Wrestling Team manager: Joe McManemin
1972 New Zealand Olympic team
Archery Athletics
Laurie D'Arcy
Rod Dixon
Jack Foster
Sue Haden
Penny Hunt
Roger Johnson
Terry Manners
Brenda Matthews
Dave McKenzie
Les Mills
Tony Polhill
Dick Quax
Bevan Smith
Robin Tait
Dick Tayler
Gavin Thorley
Boxing Canoeing Cycling Gymnastics Field hockey
Jeff Archibald
Arthur Borren
Jan Borren
John Christensen
Greg Dayman
Chris Ineson
Ross McPherson
Barry Maister
Selwyn Maister
Trevor Manning
Arthur Parkin
Ramesh Patel
Alan Patterson
Kevin Rigby
Ted Salmon
Warwick Wright
Judo Rowing
John Clark
Trevor Coker
Warren Cole
Ross Collinge
Simon Dickie
Joe Earl
John Hunter
Tony Hurt
Dick Joyce
Peter Lindsay
David Lindstrom
Noel Mills
Chris Nilsson
Gary Robertson
Dudley Storey
Dick Tonks
Wybo Veldman
Murray Watkinson
Lindsay Wilson
Sailing Shooting
Ian Ballinger
Graeme McIntyre
Bruce McMillan
Mike Watt
Swimming
Heather Coombridge
Colin Herring
Susan Hunter
John McConnochie
Jaynie Parkhouse
Mark Treffers
Weightlifting Wrestling
2000 New Zealand Olympic team
Archery
Peter Ebden
Ken Uprichard
Athletics Basketball Boxing Cycling
Gary Anderson
Tim Carswell
Jacinta Coleman
Julian Dean
Scott Guyton
Greg Henderson
Christopher Jenner
Kashi Leuchs
Glen Mitchell
Anthony Peden
Susy Pryde
Fiona Ramage
Rosalind Reekie-May
Matt Sinton
Glen Thomson
Sarah Ulmer
Lee Vertongen
Equestrian
Peter Breakwell
Kallista Field
Bruce Goodin
Vaughn Jefferis
Paul O'Brien
Blyth Tait
Mark Todd
Hockey
Sandy Bennett
Helen Clarke
Jenny Duck
Kylie Foy
Skippy Hamahona
Anne-Marie Irving
Tina Bell-Kake
Anna Lawrence
Suzie Muirhead
Caryn Paewai
Rachel Petrie
Moira Senior
Mandy Smith
Kate Trolove
Michelle Turner
Diana Weavers
Rowing
Scott Brownlee
Toni Dunlop
Rob Hellstrom
Dave Schaper
Rob Waddell
Sonia Waddell
Sailing
Gavin Brady
Simon Cooke
Don Cowie
Rod Davis
Chris Dickson
Jenny Egnot
Peter Fox
Jamie Gale
Nathan Handley
Melinda Henshaw
Barbara Kendall
Sarah Macky
Aaron McIntosh
Peter Nicholas
Glen Sowry
Alan Smith
Dan Slater
Clifton Webb
Shooting
Teresa Borrell
Des Coe
Tania Corrigan
Geoffrey Jukes
Victor Shaw
Brian Thomson
Brant Woodward
Softball
Zavana Aranga
Jaye Bailey
Kim Dermott
Rhonda Hira
Melanie Hulme
Lisa Kersten
Ruta Lealamanua
Cindy Potae
Char Pouaka
Kiri Shaw
Jackie Smith
Fiona Timu
Helen Townsend
Melisa Upu
Gina Weber
Swimming Triathlon
Ben Bright
Hamish Carter
Craig Watson
Evelyn Williamson
Weightlifting
Mayors
Philip Philips
Henry Isaacs
Benjamin Tonks
William Hurst
Henry Brett
Thomas Peacock
James Clark
William Crowther
James Job Holland
Abraham Boardman
Peter Dignan
David Goldie
John Logan Campbell
Alfred Kidd
Edwin Mitchelson
Arthur Myers
Charles Grey
Lemuel Bagnall
James Parr
James Gunson
George Baildon
George Hutchison
Ernest Davis
John Allum
John Luxford
Thomas Ashby
Keith Buttle
Dove-Myer Robinson
Roy McElroy
Dove-Myer Robinson
Colin Kay
Catherine Tizard
Les Mills
Christine Fletcher
John Banks
Dick Hubbard
John Banks
Mayoral elections
Annual term Biennial term Triennial term
Local elections
† Elected unopposed
‡ By-election