Arch Jelley, who coached Sir John Walker to a world mile record and Olympic gold and was still sending runners to the Olympics in his 90s, has died aged 104.
Athletics NZ confirmed Jelley died on Saturday morning. He had spent several months in hospital before his death at Bupa Glenburn.
His most famous pupil, Walker, ran 3:49.4 for the mile in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1975. No man had broken three minutes 50 seconds for the distance before. Walker went on to win 1500m gold at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
Jelley’s coaching career lasted more than 50 years. At 93, he guided Hamish Carson to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Born Albert Archibald Jelley in Dunedin on August 13, 1922, he served in the navy during World War II before he turned to education.
Ian Studd, who won mile bronze at the 1966 Commonwealth Games, was among the dozens of leading runners Jelley coached.
Jelley also coached Olympians Neville Scott, Chrissie Pfitzinger and Robbie Johnston, and 1990 Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medallist Barbara Moore.
He had been New Zealand team coach at the 1976 and 1984 Olympics and team manager at the inaugural World Championships in 1983. He spent 15 years as a national selector and served as president of Athletics NZ.
Jelley received an OBE for services to sport and was inducted into the New Zealand Coaches Hall of Fame.
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