Stan Lay MBE

(1906-2003) 

National

1930  British Empire Games Gold Medal Javelin.

This record throw stood for 24 years

1938 - British Empire Games Silver Medal Javelin

1990 - NZ Olympic Team Captain

            Took the Oath of Amateurism at                   Commonwealth Games 

Won 12 national javelin titles during his career

Regional

Life member of the New Plymouth Athletics Club, Stratford Athletics Club and West Coast North Island Athletics Club

Established the Stan Lay award for promising athletes

Coach, mentor, official and administrator

A Hāwera park played an important part in Olympian Stan Lay’s love of sport.

Lay was born in New Plymouth but all his first sporting contacts were at Hāwera’s King Edward Park. From 1910-1930 Stan’s father was curator of the Park – a dream for a sports-mad youngster.

Lay played rugby at first five-eighth but it was his cricket that launched his athletics career. The talented all-rounders strong arm from the boundary prompted athletics coach Len Hunt to encourage him to try the javelin in 1923. Lay took the sport well and by 1925-26 season broke the New Zealand and Australian records.  He performed strongly at the Olympics in 1928 and picked up a British Empire Games Gold Medal in 1930 with a record throw which stood for 24 years. At a regional level the popular and quietly spoken Lay was an important contributor. Not only did he win 12 national javelin titles he acted for many years as a coach, mentor, official and administrator. He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990 and was awarded an MBE in 1988.​​​​​​​