HOME AWAY FROM HOME: Athletics New Zealand's latest life member Alec McNab in his natural habitat, Cooks Gardens in Wanganui. PHOTO/FILE A-170914WCSMMCNAB1
HOME AWAY FROM HOME: Athletics New Zealand's latest life member Alec McNab in his natural habitat, Cooks Gardens in Wanganui. PHOTO/FILE A-170914WCSMMCNAB1
Wanganui's Alec McNab says he is both honoured and humbled after being bestowed life membership of Athletics New Zealand, at the organisation's annual meeting in Christchurch last Saturday.
Since arriving in New Zealand from the United Kingdom in 1973, McNab has immersed himself into the athletic scene in a numberof areas.
After having an interest in running in the UK, where he was the Welsh schools half mile and mile champion, he quickly established hands-on participation in athletics when taking up the position of head of physical education at Wanganui Collegiate School.
His involvement at all levels has earned him almost guru status among the athletics fraternity. McNab is a former president and chairman of Athletics Manawatu/Wanganui and is a life member of Athletics Wanganui, Athletics Manawatu/Wanganui, New Zealand Secondary Schools Athletic Association, and in 2011 was added to the Sport Whanganui Roll of Honour for service to sport.
He has had considerable success in coaching and has made an outstanding contribution to the sport in the establishing of the Young Olympian Camps.
In recent years, McNab has been a driving force behind the Cooks Classic in Wanganui each January. The event is one of three major athletics meets over a week, the other two being hosted in Hastings and Wellington.
"I'm honoured by the life membership but that's not why we do the things we do. I am especially humbled that it is an honour bestowed by top people in the sport," McNab said.
