Max Carr

Max Carr

OBE

Personal information
Full name	John Maxwell Carr
Born	(1922-06-14)14 June 1922 Christchurch,New Zealand
Died	5 July 2016(2016-07-05)(aged 94) Tauranga,New Zealand
Military career
Allegiance	New Zealand
Service/branch	New Zealand Army Royal New Zealand Air Force
Years of service	1941–43 1943–46, 1948–72
Rank	Wing Commander
Battles/wars	World War II
Sport
Country	New Zealand
Sport	Track and field
Achievements and titles
National finals	Long jump champion (1945) Hammer throw champion (1947, 1949, 1954, 1959, 1963)
Medal record Men'sMasters athletics RepresentingNew Zealand World Masters Athletics Championships 1993 Miyazaki M70 Hammer 1995 Buffalo M70 Hammer 1997 Durban M75 Hammer

John Maxwell CarrOBE(14 June 1922 – 5 July 2016) was a New Zealandfield athleteand coach, athletics official, and air force officer. He represented his country at the1950and1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games,and served as awing commanderin theRoyal New Zealand Air Force.In later years, he won threeWorld Mastershammer throwtitles.

Early life and family

Carr was born inChristchurchon 14 June 1922.He married his wife, Norma Joy, in about 1949, and they had one daughter.

Military service

DuringWorld War II,Carr served as asecond lieutenantin theNew Zealand Armyfrom November 1941 until June 1943.He then joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), flying two tours of operation withNo. 16 Squadronin the Pacific,and was promoted frompilot officertoflying officerin September 1944.He left the RNZAF in January 1946, but rejoined in December 1948.He was promoted to the rank of wing commander in 1961, and was appointed as director of works for the RNZAF, responsible for the planning and administration of works construction and maintenance programmes.Carr retired from the RNZAF in 1972.

In the1966 New Year Honours,Carr was appointed anOffice of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire.

Athletics

National competition

Carr joined the Technical Amateur Athletic and Cross-Country Club in Christchurch in the 1930s.He first came to national attention in 1940, when he won the national under-19 long jump title with a leap of 21 ft 4 in (6.50 m).He went on to win the national senior men's long jump title at the 1945 national athletics championships, with a distance of22 ft1+1⁄2in (6.74 m).At the same meeting, he finished second in thetriple jumpand hammer throw, and third in the discus.It was as a hammer thrower that Carr would ultimately gain greatest success, winning the national title on five occasions: in 1947, 19149, 1954, 1959, and 1963.His best winning throw was167 ft5+1⁄2in (51.04 m) in 1963.In 21 consecutive New Zealand national championship hammer competitions, Carr never finished outside the top three: recording 13 second and three third placings, as well as his five title wins.In 1963, the Wellington Athletic Centre named Carr as its sportsman of the year, and awarded him the Allen Cup for outstanding feats as a competitor.

Carr set a national record for the hammer throw on three occasions.

International competition

At the1950 British Empire GamesinAuckland,Carr represented New Zealand in both thediscusand hammer throws.In the former event, he finished in eighth place with a best throw of126 ft8+3⁄4in (38.63 m),and he came sixth in the latter event, recording a best distance of140 ft6+3⁄4in (42.84 m).

Four years later, at the1954 British Empire and Commonwealth GamesinVancouver,Carr was New Zealand's flagbearer at the opening ceremony.His best throw of 157 ft 0 in (47.85 m) in the men's hammer throw saw him finish in eighth place in that event.

Masters athletics

Carr went on to be active inMasters athletics.He won numerous age-group titles in the hammer, discus andshot putat New Zealand Masters championships in the 1980s and 1990s, and he won three world Masters hammer throw gold medals: in the M70 category in 1993 and 1995; and the M75 age group in 1997.

Administration and coaching

At the1964 Summer OlympicsinTokyo,Carr was a New Zealand's athletic section manager,and for many years he served as an amateur athletics official in Auckland, verifying the specification of throwing equipment.He received a merit award fromAthletics New Zealandin 1991.

Carr was also involved in coaching, and, withLes Mills,trainedBeatrice Faumuinaduring the early stages of her career.

Death

Carr died inTaurangaon 5 July 2016.