- Dick Quax
-
Medal record Men's Athletics Competitor for 
New ZealandOlympic Games Silver 1976 Montreal 5000 metres Commonwealth Games Silver 1970 Edinburgh 1500 metres Theodorus Jacobus Leonardus "Dick" Quax (born January 1, 1948 in Alkmaar, Netherlands) is a New Zealand runner and former world record holder in the 5000 metres. He stood for Parliament with the ACT Party in 1999 and 2002. He served as a Manukau City councillor from 2001 to 2007, when he stood unsuccessfully for mayor.
Contents
Personal life
Quax was educated at Hamilton Boys' High School. He has 3 children, 1 daughter from a previous marriage, and 2 sons from his current marriage. He currently lives in Pakuranga, Auckland with his wife and 2 sons. He has 2 brothers and 2 sisters. Birkenhead based band Half Man Half Biscuit mentioned Dick in A Lilac Harry Quinn, from the album McIntyre, Treadmore and Davitt.
Athletic career
At the 1970 British Commonwealth Games, Quax won the silver medal in the 1500 metres. He competed in the 5000 metres at the 1972 Summer Olympics but was eliminated in the heats. Quax won silver in the 5000 metres at the 1976 Summer Olympics.[1]
In 1977 at Stockholm, Sweden he set a new world record time of 13m 12.9s in the 5000 metres. This record would stand less than a year, but as a national record it stood for over 31 years, until beaten by Adrian Blincoe in July 2008.[2]
Early in 1980, at the Stanford Stadium track, Quax just missed Jos Hermens' 15K World Record by five seconds, running a New Zealand national record of 43:01.7
In his later career Quax switched his focus to the marathon, running a 2:11:13 in his debut marathon for 4th place at the Nike/OTC Marathon race in 1979, at that time the fastest debut marathon in history. In 1980 he returned and won the race in a New Zealand record time of 2:10:47 He did not compete in the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow due to the West's boycott.[1]
Personal bests
Distance Time Place Date 5000 m 13:12.87 Stockholm 1977 10000 m 27:41.95 NR London 1977 Politician
In October 2001 Quax was elected to the Manukau City Council from the Pakuranga ward and subsequently re-elected in 2004 to represent the new Botany-Clevedon ward after a failed bid for the Manukau mayoralty. He is also a member of the ACT Party having stood as a list candidate in the 1999 and 2002 general elections.
On 13 October 2007 Dick Quax lost his bid to become mayor of Manukau to Len Brown by 14,000 votes.[3] During this election, Quax complained to the electoral office over an "offensive flyer" depicting him and members of his People's Choice party as the Thunderbirds. His complaint was not upheld as there was no evidence to suggest who had posted the flyers.
Auckland Council Years Ward Affiliation 2011–2012 Howick Citizens & Ratepayers Quax stood with Jami-Lee Ross for Citizens & Ratepayers in the 2010 Auckland Council elections. Quax missed out on a seat, losing to Ross by 253 votes. In 2011 Quax was elected to the council after a by election was held in Howick due to Ross resigning after becoming a Member of Parliament.[4]
External links
References
- ^ a b Dick Quax biography, Athletics New Zealand. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
- ^ Adrian Blincoe breaks Dick Quax's 31 year old 5000m record, Athletics New Zealand. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- ^ Gay, Edward (13 October 2007). "New faces aplenty in local government shake-ups". The New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/event/story.cfm?c_id=1501264&objectid=10469695. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
- ^ "Quax wins Howick by-election". Stuff.co.nz. 27 May 2011. http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/5066025/Quax-wins-Howick-by-election. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
Records Preceded by
Emiel PuttemansMen's 5000m World Record Holder
July 5, 1977 – April 8, 1978Succeeded by
Henry RonoSporting positions Preceded by
Emiel PuttemansMen's 5.000m Best Year Performance
1976 — 1977Succeeded by
Henry RonoCategories:- 1948 births
- Living people
- New Zealand people of Dutch descent
- Olympic athletes of New Zealand
- Olympic silver medalists for New Zealand
- Local political office-holders in New Zealand
- New Zealand middle distance runners
- New Zealand long-distance runners
- New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame inductees
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1976 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games
- Commonwealth Games silver medallists for New Zealand
- Commonwealth Games competitors for New Zealand
- People from Alkmaar
- New Zealand sportsperson–politicians
- ACT New Zealand politicians
- Auckland Councillors
- Olympic medalists in athletics (track and field)
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