Alan Sayers facts for kids
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| Full name | Alan John Sayers | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 6 December 1915 Onehunga, New Zealand |
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| Died | 19 August 2017 (aged 101) Auckland, New Zealand |
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Rugby league career
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Playing information
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| Country | New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| National finals | 440 yards champion (1937) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 100 yards – 10.1 s 220 yards – 21.4 s 440 yards – 48.8 s 880 yards – 1:57 Long jump – 6.63 m High jump – 1.70 m |
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Medal record
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Alan John Sayers (1915–2017) was an amazing New Zealander. He was a talented journalist and photographer. He was also a fantastic athlete. Alan worked for newspapers like The New Zealand Herald and the Auckland Star. He even reported on Queen Elizabeth II's visit to New Zealand in 1953!
Contents
Early Life and Family
Alan Sayers was born in Royal Oak, a suburb of Auckland. His parents were Mary and Horace Sayers. Alan went to Royal Oak Primary School. He also studied at Auckland Grammar School. His son, Greg Sayers, is now an Auckland Councillor.
Sporting Achievements
Alan Sayers was a very skilled athlete. He excelled in many sports.
Athletics
While at Auckland Grammar, Alan competed in Australia. He won a silver medal in 1934. This made him one of the fastest schoolboy runners in the British Empire. In 1938, he won a bronze medal. This was at the British Empire Games in Sydney. He was part of the men’s 440 yards relay team. He even won the national 440 yards track title in 1937.
Rugby
Alan also played rugby. He represented Waikato in rugby union. He played rugby league for one season. During that season, he set a record. He scored seven tries in a single senior game! This record still stands today. After his playing career, Alan coached track athletes. Many of his athletes won national titles. Some even broke records and represented New Zealand.
Yachting
Alan was also involved in yachting. He led two big youth sailing groups. These were the Auckland P-Class and Starling Associations. He helped build a new clubhouse for the Manly Sailing Club. He also supported the Hibiscus Coast Waterwise Society.
Military Service
When World War II started, Alan joined the army. He then moved to the Royal New Zealand Navy. He worked as an intelligence officer. His job was to report on enemy activities. This happened in the South Pacific region.
Later Life and Legacy
Alan Sayers lived a very long and active life. In 2011, at 96 years old, he wrote a book. It was a biography about Sir Fred Allen. Fred Allen was a famous All Black coach. The book was called Fred The Needle. It became a bestseller in New Zealand. Alan also gave a speech at Fred Allen's funeral. He was 96 at the time.
In 2014, Alan published his second book, Deadline. He was 98 years old then! The book received lots of attention. Alan celebrated his 100th birthday in December 2015. He passed away in Auckland in 2017. He was 101 years old.
Honours and Awards
Alan Sayers received many awards. In 2003, he was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. This award was for his great work in sport and journalism.
He also helped his community a lot. As chairman of a local committee, he helped create a new rule. This rule made swimming safer in Arkles Bay. It stopped dangerous nets from being set near swimmers. This was the only rule of its kind in New Zealand. Alan also received awards from Athletics New Zealand and Kiwi Bank. He was recognized by Age Concern and the Auckland City Council too. The Auckland Council even celebrated his 100th birthday.
