Noel Taylor (athlete)

Born in Palmerston North on 20 December 1923, Taylor was the son of Ellen (Nellie) Taylor (née Leese) and Horace Arthur Andrew Taylor.^[1][2][3][4] He was the nephew of Lew Taylor, who was a military and civil pilot and served as director of Civil Aviation from 1964 to 1972.^[2][5]

After four years in Palmerston North, Taylor moved with his family to Lower Hutt, and was educated at Hutt Valley High School, where he won the school's junior one-mile championship in 1938.^[2][6] Aged 15, he sustained severe lacerations to his head when he ran into the back of a parked baker's van while riding his bicycle.^[7] He studied aeronautical engineering at night school, and gained employment with de Havilland at Rongotai not long after they opened in 1940.^[2]

After working as a shepherd for a time, he joined the New Zealand Army, but was later transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force through the influence of his uncle. He saw service in the Green Islands with a Ventura servicing unit.^[2]

Taylor was a member of the Hutt Valley Harriers, winning the junior club title in 1941, and the senior title the next year.^[6]

Returning to athletics after the war, Taylor won the national cross-country title in 1948, 1949 and 1952.^[8] He also won the New Zealand national 6-mile track title in both 1950 and 1952.^[9]

At the 1950 British Empire Games, Taylor represented New Zealand in the men's three miles and six miles events.^[10] He raced barefooted, and finished third in the six miles, in a time of 30:31.9, behind teammate Harold Nelson and Andrew Forbes from Scotland.^[11] Two days later, in the three miles, he placed eleventh.^[10]

At the end of 1950, Taylor competed in the two-mile and 5000-metre events at the Canterbury Centennial Games in Christchurch, but did not feature among the place getters.^[8][12]

Taylor continued running competitively until at least 1956, winning the annual race to the top of Mount Maunganui six times from six starts, lowering his winning time on each occasion.^[13]

Taylor participated in motor racing until the age of 75.^[2] He died in Pukekohe on 23 November 2023, less than a month before his 100th birthday.^[1][8]