Cecil Matthews

Cecil Matthews competed in the 5,000 metres in Berlin in 1936 but failed to qualify for the final. He received guidance from New Zealand’s 1,500 metres winner, Jack Lovelock, and two years later won the three- and six-miles at the Empire Games in Sydney. Matthews recalled years later that he owed his success in Sydney, where newspapers dubbed him the “Nurmi of the Empire”, to Lovelock. His second gold medal in Sydney was the only six-mile race of his career. Matthews carried back to New Zealand the potted oak Lovelock received for his Berlin win and the tree continues to flourish at Lovelock’s old school, Timaru Boys’ High School.

Personal Bests: 3 miles – 13:59.6 (1938); 5000 – unknown; 6 miles – 30:14.5 (1938).