Paul Dalley

Auckland wrestler Paul Dalley competed in the lightweight (68kg) freestyle division at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games.

As with all the wrestling in Christchurch, the field was small – just six competitors.

In his first bout Dalley brought the spectators at the Christchurch Town Hall some joy with a points victory over Reg Marsh of Australia.

However, he found Canadian Stephen Martin too good in his next bout and lost on points.

In his third bout, and needing a victory to get among the medals, the New Zealander went down to eventual silver medallist Joseph Gilligan of England, again on points.

Dalley, representing Waikato mainly, won New Zealand titles in the lightweight division in 1979 and 1980. He’d earlier won three national titles in the featherweight grade (62kg) – in 1974, 1975 and 1977.

In the late 1970s, wrestlers and Commonwealth Games team-mates Dalley and Andy Roche, plus Wayne Le Haavre of Corrections, set up a wrestling club at Waikeria Prison.