Dick Quax

Theodorus Jacobus Leonardus "Dick" Quax ( born January 1, 1948 in Alkmaar, Netherlands ) is a former star athlete from New Zealand. In the 1970s, Quax was, together with his compatriots Rod Dixon and John Walker at the world-class on the medium and long distances. At a height of 1.87 m his competition weight was 73 kg.

Life

Quax emigrated with his family to New Zealand in 1954 and grew up in Waikato. In high school, he played rugby in Hamilton, but started early with the running. As a teenager he traveled to Auckland to see his idols Peter Snell and Murray Halberg run. Quax strove after them and started early by the methods of Arthur Lydiard to train. At sixteen he was already over 100 miles a week.

Since 1968 Quax was coached by Lydiard disciple John Davies, the cooperation between the two continued even after the active time of Quax in projects for the marketing of athletics continues.

In the British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in 1970, he won the 1500 -meter run in 3:38,1 min silver behind the Kenyan Kipchoge Keino. In the 5000 - meter race, he finished seventh in 13:43,4 min. At the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972, he could not qualify for the finals in the run over 5000 meters.

For years, suffered Quax on shin injury that cost him, among other things, the participation in the British Commonwealth Games in 1974 in his native Christchurch. After surgery in 1975, he was finally able to re-train pain-free. At the Olympic Games in Montreal in 1976, he launched first in the 10,000 -meter run, but could not qualify for the final itself. However, he reached the final over 5000 meters. In a dramatic spurt decision of Finn Lasse Viren won in 13:24,76 min. Quax won silver in 13:25,16 min before the West German Klaus -Peter Hildenbrand in 13:25,38 min, which could be placed with a pike jump into the goal just before Rod Dixon ( 13:25,50 min).

On 5 July 1977 Quax could undercut with 13:12,9 min the five -year-old 5,000 -meter world record of the Belgian Emiel Puttemans a tenth of a second at the Dagens Nyheter Gala in Stockholm. Dixon had provided for the fast pace and the goal of the German Karl Fleschen lay back for a second. A year later, the world record was undercut by the Kenyan Henry Rono.

Quax occupied at the Commonwealth Games in 1978 in Edmonton ranked ninth in the 10,000 -meter run. At the end of his career Quax completed a few marathons. In September 1980, he ran a time of 2:10:47 hours.

In recent years, Quax is also active in the New Zealand policy. He belongs to the right-liberal ACT Party.

Bests

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