James George Leckie (9 October 1903 – 25 June 1982) was a New Zealand track and field athlete who won a bronze medal at the 1938 British Empire Games.

Jim Leckie
Leckie, c. 1937
Personal information
Birth nameJames George Leckie
Born(1903-10-09)9 October 1903
Blueskin Bay, New Zealand
Died25 June 1982(1982-06-25) (aged 78)
Dunedin, New Zealand
OccupationSchoolteacher
Spouse
Daisy Isabella McIntyre
(m. 1934)
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportAthletics
Achievements and titles
National finalsHammer throw champion (1932, 1945, 1946, 1948)
Medal record
Men's Athletics
Representing  New Zealand
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 1938 Sydney Hammer throw

Early life and family

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Born at Blueskin Bay, north of Dunedin, on 9 October 1903, Leckie was the son of William Gunn Leckie and Helen Cameron Leckie (née Farquharson).[1][2] He married Daisy Isabella McIntyre on 22 August 1934,[3] and they went on to have three children.[1]

Athletics

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Leckie was a four-time winner of the New Zealand hammer throw title at the national amateur athletics championships, in 1932, 1945, 1946, and 1948.[4]

Selected to represent New Zealand at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, Leckie was his team's flagbearer at the opening ceremony.[5] He won the bronze medal in the men's hammer throw, with a best distance of 145 ft 5+12 in (44.34 m).[6] Leckie was also entered for the men's discus, but did not start.[6]

Twelve years later at the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland, Leckie was the New Zealand team captain.[5] He placed seventh in the men's hammer, recording a best throw of 136 ft 6 in (41.61 m).[6]

Later life and death

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During World War II, Leckie was a member of the Home Guard, and was appointed as a temporary second lieutenant in February 1943.[7] In civilian life, he was a schoolteacher, and was headmaster at Sawyers Bay School.[5]

Leckie died in Dunedin on 25 June 1982.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b Lynly Lessels Yates (July 2008). "William Gunn Leckie and Helen Cameron Farquharson" (PDF). Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Birth search: registration number 1903/9714". Births, deaths & marriages online. Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  3. ^ "Marriage search: registration number 1934/6956". Births, deaths & marriages online. Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  4. ^ Hollings, Stephen (December 2016). "National champions 1887–2016" (PDF). Athletics New Zealand. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  5. ^ a b c Pratley, Graeme (2012). "Sawyer's Bay". Tauranga memories. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  6. ^ a b c "Games results for James George Leckie". Commonwealth Games Federation. 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  7. ^ "New Zealand, World War II appointments, promotions, transfers and resignations, 1939–1945". Ancestry.com Operations. 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Cemeteries search". Dunedin City Council. Retrieved 6 July 2017.