Peter Tracy

Waikato pole vaulter Peter Tracy produced his best results overseas and is therefore somewhat overlooked in discussions about New Zealand’s leading athletes.

But Tracy, who vaulted for New Zealand at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games, set a national record of 5.20 in El Paso in 1976 and it lasted 16 years. Even five decades later it was still comfortably 6th on the New Zealand all-time rankings.

Tracy, born in 1955, emerged in Hamilton as a fine all-round athlete. Not only was he a leading pole vaulter, good enough to win the 1974 New Zealand title, but he also added a national high jump crown to his list of credits, leaping 1.96m for victory in 1973.

The Waikato man booked his place in the Games team by vaulting 4.50m in December 1973 to win the 1974 national title. The championships were held early that season so they could double as a Games trial.

At the Games, Tracy, just turned 19, finished 5th in a six-man field. He had a miss then succeeded with 4.40m. cleared 4.50m and 4.60m at his first attempt but missed three times at 4.70m. The event was won by Australian Donald Baird with 5.05m.

Shortly afterwards, competing at Porritt Stadium in Hamilton, Tracy cleared 4.70m.

Tracy took up an athletics scholarship at the University of Texas in El Paso in the mid-1970s, and even though he struggled at times with a back injury, his performances improved considerably and he became one of the leading pole vaulters in the competitive NCAA arena – the pity was he achieved all his best performances so far from home.