Ross Pownall, born in 1946, was arguably the most dominant men’s hurdler in New Zealand history. He didn’t win an Olympic medal, as Dutch Holland did in 1952, but his record in national championships is fantastic.

After winning the national junior 110 yards hurdles title in 1965, Pownall embarked on an unprecedented run of 12 New Zealand senior 110 yards/110m hurdles championships from 1967-78.

For good measure he also won the 220 yards hurdles in 1967, the 200m hurdles in 1970 and, more remarkably, the 100m title in 1976 and the decathlon crown in 1968. He was a remarkable al-round athlete.

Pownall competed at two Commonwealth Games.

In Christchurch in 1974, his 5th placing in his heat in a time of 14.4s was not quick enough to advance to the final. He lost the all-important 4th placing to Northern Ireland’s Charles Kirkpatrick in a photo finish. His time may have been good enough if he’d been in the other heat.

Pownall had another crack at the Commonwealth Games in 1978. This time his 14.36s in his heat was good enough to earn him a berth in the final. There he ran a swift 14.18s, which placed him 7th. That time is still 7th on the all-time New Zealand list all these years later.

The Aucklander also lined up in the men’s 4 x 100m relay in Edmonton. The team was Bevan Smith, Graeme French, Phillip Mills (another hurdler) and Pownall. Their heat time of 41.40s placed them 10th overall and they did not make the final.

Pownall remained involved in athletics long after he retired from competitive running. He was chairman of Auckland Athletics from 1997-2001 and again in 2002-03 and later a life member. He was also Deputy Chairman of Athletics New Zealand. He managed the athletics team to the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games.

Pownall was a successful businessman as well, General Manager of Consumer Products from 1981-86 and Managing Director of Cerebos Greggs from 1988-96.

He now lives at Bucklands Beach and also has a property at Piha.

His son, Tony, won the 110m hurdles national title in 2000 and 2001 to honour the family name in that event.

Ross Pownall

Biography

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