RIP Dick Quax

[NotDutra5]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/104258283/new-zealand-running-great-dick-quax-dies-aged-70-after-long-battle-with-cancer

New Zealand running great Dick Quax has finally lost his long-running battle with cancer.

The Olympic 5000m silver medallist at the 1976 Montreal Games and former world record-holder died at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital on Monday morning, a close family friend confirmed to Stuff. Quax was aged 70.

[DoubleRBar]

Very sad to hear this news. Track and field has lost some great names over the past several months.

[aaronk]

Totally saddened by this news!!
Not only was he a great runner, but I LOVED his rugged face, and the fact he was once married to Mary Slaney!!
New Zealand AND the World of T&F will surely miss him!
RIP

[Conor Dary]

He was never married to Mary Decker..

[aaronk]

He was never married to Mary Decker..

My gross error!
He was her coach for awhile, but not her husband!!
Sorry!!

[Trickstat]

R.I.P.

I think he and Mary Decker randomly met in about 1979 when she had major injury problems and he, using knowledge gained from his own difficulties, gave her guidance and encouragement that got her, literally, back on track.

[Tuariki]

Kia hiwa ra! Kia hiwa ra! Whakarongo, whakarongo ki te tangi
He aha te tangi o nga mano, o nga tangata katoa o te motu
Kua hinga koe e Dick; te kauri-nui o te Ao Kaipara. Ko koe he Toa o Te Ao.
Dick, hoea atu to waka, ki te po uriuri, ki te po tangotango, ki te huihiu-nui o nga mano.
Haere ki te ao o tatou tipuna; haere, haere, haere..
Moe mai, moe mai, moe mai i roto I te poho o te Atua

Be alert! be aware! Listen, listen to the wailing.
Why are the multitudes crying, the people throughout the land?
It is for you Dick, you that great tree of the forest, you a champion of the world, you have fallen.
Dick, row your canoe that one last time, to the world of darkness, the world where there is no light, the world that is the last gathering place of the thousands.
Farewell as you travel to the world of our ancestors, farewell, farewell, farewell.
Sleep well, sleep, sleep in the bosom of the Father.

[Tuariki]

Dick fought to the end. We were facebook friends right to a couple of days ago.

He like me was totally anti on the androgynous issue (worse than me in fact). At the recent Commonwealth Games he refused to have his TV on when our NZ champion "female" weightlifter was competing.

The only negative I have with Dick was that while we were generally as one on the conservative side of politics, we parted as we approached 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. I think it might have been because his hair was once upon a time of a similar colour to someone else.

Dick will be sad to not be around to watch when his son Theo joins the 4 minute club and go less than 3:56.23(I think that was Dick's best time).

[bambam1729]

Kia hiwa ra! Kia hiwa ra! Whakarongo, whakarongo ki te tangi
He aha te tangi o nga mano, o nga tangata katoa o te motu
Kua hinga koe e Dick; te kauri-nui o te Ao Kaipara. Ko koe he Toa o Te Ao.
Dick, hoea atu to waka, ki te po uriuri, ki te po tangotango, ki te huihiu-nui o nga mano.
Haere ki te ao o tatou tipuna; haere, haere, haere..
Moe mai, moe mai, moe mai i roto I te poho o te Atua

Be alert! be aware! Listen, listen to the wailing.
Why are the multitudes crying, the people throughout the land?
It is for you Dick, you that great tree of the forest, you a champion of the world, you have fallen.
Dick, row your canoe that one last time, to the world of darkness, the world where there is no light, the world that is the last gathering place of the thousands.
Farewell as you travel to the world of our ancestors, farewell, farewell, farewell.
Sleep well, sleep, sleep in the bosom of the Father.

That's a TAFny for sure

[Pego]

Montreal 5K final lap was one for the ages.

[Trickstat]

Montreal 5K final lap was one for the ages.

It sure was. I was 8 years old and watching on TV and it looked like there was about 6 guys just waiting to pass Viren. When Quax made a move just before the final 100m I thought that was it for Viren's double-double.

[Tuariki]

Dick’s funeral is on Saturday at Auckland’s Anglican Cathedral. It will be a veritable who’s who of NZ Athletics

[bambam1729]

Dick’s funeral is on Saturday at Auckland’s Anglican Cathedral. It will be a veritable who’s who of NZ Athletics

Will Peter Snell be there? He lives in Dallas now, I think

[Conor Dary]

Lorraine Moller lives in Boulder... Wonder if she is going... Or Shorter...

[GHM]

Best way to watch the Montreal race is in Fin!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzXfmaiMYnY

RIP Dick.