Manukau's champ has a vision for the city's kids

BY ROMY UDANGA

One of Manukau’s champion athletes was honoured by the sporting and funding communities last week.

Mayor Len Brown and Prime Minister John Key hosted a luncheon on Friday to celebrate two high points the life of Olympian and Manukau city councillor John Walker.

Joining them were a plethora of civic leaders and sporting stars.

"It is not often that you get the chance to celebrate two significant milestones in someone’s life and when they are 35 years apart it is even more special," Mr Brown says.

The first event occurred on a February afternoon 35 years ago on the final day of the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch.

"Many still regard it as the race of the century.

"A young Manukau athlete carried the country with him in a dramatic dash to the tape in the 1500-metre final.

"This race was a ground-breaking performance with the winner Tanzania’s Filbert Bayi and John both smashing the world record mark," Mr Brown says.

The second event was when Manukau City Council launched the John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Project in May last year.

"John had told me he was keen to give something back to the community he had been part of for so long.

"We both share a common vision – that providing our young people the opportunity to engage in sport and active recreation as early as possible can in time help develop a fitter, healthier community with a more positive outlook on life, and encourage them to find their own Field of Dreams," Mr Brown says.

Six months after the launch, the John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation was established as a charitable trust. With backing from some key funders and strategic partners the foundation now has four programmes under way with another two planned.

"So it is appropriate we mark the first anniversary of what John says is his ‘last big race’ along with his first all those years ago," Mr Brown says.

Mr Walker says the foundation will continue to "focus on the young people of our community here in Manukau".

"I’m a Manurewa boy, born and raised, and I’m proud of being a Manukau resident.

"This is where I want to focus my energy."

The mission is challenging enough as it is, he says.

"Every child in our community should be active and involved in sports and recreation – not 99 percent but 100 percent.

"We want to ensure our children do not feature in health statistics like obesity due to lack of active involvement in sport and recreation.

"We want them to be active and using our parks, recreation centres and pools.

"We want to deliver more champions of the future, wearing the silver fern as our country’s sporting ambassadors."

Mr Walker was accompanied at the lunch by his wife Helen, son Richard, trustees and staff from the foundation.

Among the VIPs who came to honour him were Halberg Trust chairman and former 5000 Olympic champion Sir Murray Halberg and Mr Walker’s coach during his 16-year career, Arch Jelley.

- © Fairfax NZ News