Don Chadderton of Christchurch, who gave over 60 years of service to the sport, passed away on Friday 18 September 2020. Don was a highly dedication and committed man to the sport of athletics and deserving recipient of the Oceania Athletics Association Merit Award in 2014.
His lasting legacy to his lifetime of service is the creation as a founding member of the New Zealand secondary schools athletics association from 1973 to 1991.
He had a long and distinguished career touching many different aspects of athletics including competitor, coach and administrator. He won Canterbury titles and represented Canterbury at New Zealand championships. As a coach he was the youngest to obtain the NZAAA coaching diploma in 1960 and was the first national coach in race walking and was manager of the New Zealand junior development squad from 1992 to 1996. He was the first New Zealander appointed to the IAAF race walking judges’ panel in 1974 and judged at six Commonwealth Games including 1974 in Christchurch and 1990 in Auckland. He received an Athletics New Zealand merit award in 2003, was president of Athletics New Zealand 2004-05 and was made a life member of Athletics New Zealand at a function at the Papanui Club on 25 August 2020.
Don was an exceptional contributor to all aspects of athletics. He will be sorely missed by his family, friends and the entire Athletics’ fraternity.
- Athletics Canterbury Blazer 1980
- Merit Award 2003
- Life Member 2003
- IAAF Diploma 1988
- Veterans Pin 1997
- Canterbury Walkers’ Association Life Member 1991
- NZ Secondary Schools AA Life Member 1992
- Christchurch S.S Athletics Award for Services to Athletics 1992
- Athletics New Zealand Merit Award 2003
- Athletics NZ President 2004-05
- Sport Canterbury Outstanding Summer Sports Administrator 2006
- Oceania Athletics Association Merit Award 2014
- Life Member Athletics New Zealand 2020
As a Competitor
- One of three brothers to represent Canterbury in junior grade rugby representative teams.
- One of three brothers to win boxing championships at High School.
- The first of six siblings to win a Canterbury Championship in Athletics.
- The first of five siblings to represent Canterbury in Athletics.
- One of four brothers to compete at the New Zealand Championships in the same season (while a sister represented Canterbury at another meeting).
- One of three siblings to set provincial records in Athletics.
- Played hockey, basketball, volleyball, team handball.
- Member of Bishopdale Tramping Club
- Played Bowls (as a Colt from age 74).
As a Coach and Manager
- The youngest person to earn the NZ Amateur Athletics Association Coaching Diploma (1960).
- Coach of numerous athletes who won titles in Southland, Canterbury & elsewhere (1957- 98), on the track, in the field in the stadium & at cross-country or road events.
- Coach of numerous athletes who won interschool titles at local or national championships.
- Coach of Canterbury Teams at NZ Championships.
- Coach of first team from a “country” club (Ashburton) to win a Canterbury Cross-country Team Race.
- First National Coach – Race Walking
- Manager of Southland Junior Squad (1961-2) preparing for NZ Championships.
- Manager of Canterbury Development Squad (1986-92).
- Manager of NZ Junior Development Squad – (Chelsea Squad) (1992-96).
As an Administrator
- Club Captain of Winton & Ashburton Cross-country Clubs.
- Club delegate to Southland & Mid-South Canterbury meetings.
- Member of Canterbury Executive Committee (1967-71 & 1998-2004).
- Member of Canterbury Track & Field Committee (1998-2006).
- Chairman of Canterbury Track & Field Committee (2000-2006).
- Member: Commonwealth Games Marathon & Walks Committee (1973-4)
- Vice-President & Competition Director: 4th World Veteran Games. (1981)
- Trustee: 4th World Veteran Games Trust
- Vice-President & Competition Director: 16th World Games for the Deaf (1989)
- Competition Director: World Wheelchair Games (1999 & 2003)
- Led the group investigating the possibility of organising the IAAF World Cup of Race Walking
As an Administrator – Schools
- Established Burnside Relays (invitation schools relay meeting for schools from Wellington to Invercargill – 1966 to 1981)
- Founding member of NZ Secondary Schools Athletics Association (1973-1991).
- President of NZSSAA (1980-87).
- Selector of NZSSAA Teams (1975-76).
- Meeting Manager of NZSSAA Championships
- Coordinator (or Technical Delegate) to NZSSAA Championships (1976-91)
- 14 Track & Field Championships
- 13 Road Championships (held in same city as Track & Field Championships)
- 13 Cross-country Championships
- Meeting Manager of NZSSAA Championships (1974, 75, 1988, 2006).
- Organiser: Christchurch Inter-school Athletics (1976-82, 1987-95)
- Organiser: Christchurch Inter-school Cross-country (1975-94)
- Meeting Manager for South Island School Championships (1979, 1988)
Chair of Local Organising Committee for
- NZ Athletics Championships &
- NZSSAA Championships in 2006
- Meeting Manager for both championships.
Team Manager
- Manager of various school teams to NZSSA or South Island Championships (Auckland, Hamilton, Te Awamutu, Thames, Hastings, Wanganui, Feilding, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim, Christchurch, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin, Invercargill, Balclutha, Geraldine, Ashburton)
- Manager: Canterbury Teams to NZ Championships or other matches
- Manager: NZSSAA Teams
- in Christchurch (first international Cross-country Match v Victoria – 1976)
- in Brisbane (first full Track & Field Team to travel overseas – ‘81)
- Manager: Athletics NZ Teams to:
- IAAF World Juniors (1988)
- IAAF World Cup of Race Walking (2002, 2006)
- Manager: Oceania Team to World Cup (Track & Field)
- London (1994)
- Havana (1992 – Assistant Manager)
International Official
- First New Zealander Appointed to IAAF Race Walking Judges’ Panel (1973)
- Retired 2006
- Judged at 1974, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 Commonwealth Games (the only person to have judged walks at six Commonwealth Games, the last five consecutively)
- Judged at various international events in Cook Islands, Canada, USA, Mexico, Morocco, China, France, Malaysia, England, Australia, & New Zealand.
- As a Lecturer/Course Director – Courses for Race Walking Coaches aspiring to become Athletics NZ Level II Coaches.
- Lectures/seminars for Race Walking Judges in various centres (Auckland, Hamilton, Hastings, Wanganui, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Wellington, Nelson, Greymouth, Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin, Invercargill)
- Lecturer: Trial of Oceania Judges’ Course (Wanganui 1995)
- Lecturer: Oceania Level II Courses, Canberra 1993, Adelaide 1995, Canberra 2005, Melbourne 2009, Hobart 2014
- Appointed to IAAF Lecturer’s Panel 2009
- Attended Seminar for Lecturers’ 2011 (San Sesto Giovanni, Italy)
- Examiner of candidates for Level III IAAF Walking Panel 2010
Overseas Appointments
NZ Team Manager:
- NZSSAA Track & Field Team – Brisbane
- Athletics NZ Junior Team to IAAF World Championships – Sudbury
- Athletics NZ Walking Teams to IAAF World Cup – Turin, La Corunna,
Oceania Teams – Havana (London – Assistant Manager)
- Team Officials’ Briefings: Canberra, Sydney
Officials’ Instructor
- Rarotonga (for officials involved with South Pacific Mini-Games)
IAAF Race Walking Judge
- Rarotonga, Columbus – Ohio, Victoria, Edmonton, Monterrey – Mexico, Beijing, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur, Marrakech – Morocco. Paris, Manchester, Melbourne, Sydney.
IAAF Walking Committee Meetings
- London, Monaco, Naumburg – Germany, La Corunna, (& Paris, Beijing, Monterrey after the World Cup in each place),
IAAF Walking Judge Seminars
- As a Candidate: Bangkok, Paris (twice)
- As an Examiner: Paris
- As a Lecturer: San Sesto Giovanni – Italy (Refresher Course)
IAAF Regional Development Courses
- Canberra (x 2), Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart
