Trevor Cochrane

Trevor Cochrane, who attended Ashburton College until 1969 and later taught health and physical education there for 41 years, said the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games were a defining moment in his life.

“Nothing can beat representing your country at an event like the Commonwealth Games. It’s been the highlight of my sporting life and it’s opened doors for me, I’m sure,” he once said.

Cochrane said he was inspired by Dick Tayler’s gold medal performance in the 10,000m on the opening day of athletics in Christchurch, but had to refocus quickly on his own running the following day.

He competed in four events – 100m, 200m, 4 × 100m relay and 4 × 400m relay.

In 1974, the 100m was his main event. He held the Canterbury record and was a specialist 100m and 200m sprinter.

He ran 10.9s for 6th place in his heat and did not progress. In the 200m, he faced eventual gold medallist Don Quarrie of Jamaica in his heat. Cochrane’s time of 21.7s for 4th was competitive but not fast enough to earn him a spot in the semi-finals.

In the 4 x 100m relay, Grant Anderson, Cochrane Bevan Smith and Kerry Hill managed 40.5s and moved to the final as 7th fastest qualifiers. They finished in 7th place in the final in 40.4s.

Cochrane was stretching himself running in the 4 x 400m relay, along with Phil Kear, Richard Endean and Smith. The New Zealanders put in a good performance and were 5th in 3min 08.0s.

“The year after the Games I moved up to the 400m and a year or two after that I moved up to the 800m,” he said.

A back problem was giving him some grief and not long after that he was given two options by his surgeon – have an operation to have his spine fused or retire. Trevor chose to retire.

At the time of the Games, Cochrane was living in Christchurch, studying at teachers’ college and running for the Old Boys club.

In 1976, he moved back to Ashburton to begin working at Ashburton College. He thought he might stay two years, but instead was there for four decades! He was later appointed head of department and later again head of faculty.

Cochrane and wife Jan had two children, Charlotte and James.

In Ashburton he shifted his focus to coaching and coached more than 10 athletes to national titles. In 1987 he was coach of the New Zealand Secondary Schools athletics team.

Cochrane also played rugby, as a winger, for Mid-Canterbury.