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Champion New Zealand weightlifter Precious McKenzie is to be inducted into the South African Sport Hall of Fame, 42 years after leaving that country.
McKenzie, who quit the apartheid republic of South Africa so he could compete internationally, went on to win four consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medals
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He won three for England, then one in the black singlet of New Zealand, in Edmonton, Canada, in 1978, as a bantamweight.
The coloured weightlifter also represented Britain at three Olympic Games and was five times world powerlifting champion. He was awarded the MBE in 1974.
The world masters powerlifting champion, he was elected to the World Hall of Fame for Powerlifting, in Texas.
McKenzie was told of his latest honour in a letter from South African Sport Hall of Fame chief executive Naas Botha.
Botha said it was a great honour and privilege to inform McKenzie of the committee's decision.
"As numerous South Africans have been inducted into various sporting Halls of Fame abroad, but not yet been able to get recognised in South Africa, we have found it of the utmost importance that these sports heroes should be the first people to receive this honour on South African turf," he said.
McKenzie, 70, is to be flown to South Africa to attend the induction ceremony in Pretoria on December 5.
He will be honoured with a bronze head-and-shoulder statue and a commissioned painting commemorating his sporting career.
McKenzie, now a back injury prevention consultant, said his latest honour was unexpected and is the realisation of a dream.
"Man, this means I have come full circle," the diminutive and effervescent sportsman said from his home in Howick, Auckland.
"I left South Africa because the authorities wouldn't let me compete internationally, even though I was the best lifter in my weight division."
Durban-born McKenzie described his hurried departure from South Africa in 1964 as his darkest hour.
"I was a young married man with two young children and very little money.
"Fleeing my homeland to start a new life in England wasn't something I did lightly.
"While I was excited about the future, I hated having to leave friends and family behind and saying goodbye to the country of my birth."
Return visits to South Africa held bitter-sweet memories for him.
While he said it was good to catch up with relatives and old friends, he despised the apartheid system that had forced him out.
He recalled he was invited by a South African newspaper to be guest speaker at a public function, but visas for himself and his wife Liz were withheld because of their colour and his stand on apartheid issues.
However, all that was behind him now and he was pleased to see South Africa had finally shaken off its past.
McKenzie said official recognition by the South African authorities meant everything to him.
"Being recognised by my homeland makes all the past sacrifices seem worthwhile. I can die a happy man now."
His forthcoming induction into the South African Sport Hall of Fame comes on top of news that the British producers of Precious, the movie on his life, are hopeful filming could begin on location in South Africa next year.
The search is on for an actor to play the lead role.
- NZPA
