| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth name | John Wilson Sutherland | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 18 July 1927 Oamaru, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||
| Died | 8 October 2020 (aged 93) Oamaru, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Joy Hill | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||
| Country | New Zealand | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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John Wilson Sutherland QSM (18 July 1927 – 8 October 2020) was a New Zealand sprinter who won a bronze medal representing his country at the 1950 British Empire Games
Sutherland was born in Oamaru on 18 July 1927, and was educated at Waitaki Boys' High School.[1][2] In the 1950s, Sutherland married Joy Hill, and the couple went on to have three children.[1]
As a young man, Sutherland moved to Christchurch to further his running, becoming a member of the Christchurch Technical club.[1] On 26 February 1949, he broke the Canterbury record over 440 yards, recording a time of 49.7 seconds at Lancaster Park.[3] Two weeks later, at the 1949 national athletic championships held at the same venue, he finished second to Dave Batten in the men's 440 yards final.[4]
At the 1950 British Empire Games, Sutherland won the bronze medal in the men's 4 x 440 yards relay alongside Dave Batten, John Holland and Derek Steward. He also competed in the men's 440 yards where he placed 6th overall.[5]
Returning to Oamaru to live in 1953, Sutherland worked at Farmers department store for many years.[1] In 1973, he opened his own clothing store, Sutherland's Menswear.[1]
Sutherland was active in the Lions service club in North Otago.[1] In the 1992 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was awarded the Queen's Service Medal for community service.[6] In 2019, he was inducted into the Waitaki Boys' High School sports hall of fame.[1]
Sutherland died in Oamaru on 8 October 2020, aged 93.[7]
