He may be 81, but age is nothing but a number to Precious McKenzie. When the Weekly visits the highly decorated champion weightlifter, he’s marching around the retirement village apartment he shares with his wife of 58 years, Liz (89), pointing out all of his accolades from a very successful career.
There are Commonwealth Games medals, World Masters trophies and, of course, his MBE from the Queen. And like most doting grandparents, photos of his three children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren are displayed next to these accolades with pride – “I get mistaken for my son all the time!” he says proudly.
In fact, trying to get Precious to sit down and relax is a mission!
“It’s more important than ever now at this age to keep moving,” he says without taking a breath.
“When you’re young, you can get away with murder! But when you’re older, every little thing makes you sick. So that’s why exercise is the only way you can keep moving. “
This philosophy is something he makes a big effort to pass on to his fellow residents in the retirement village. Upon packing up the family home and moving there eight years ago, Precious recalls telling the village management, “There must be a gym!”
So he donated his equipment for everyone to use.
Every day, he trains religiously and if he works really hard, he can still benchpress 100kg and deadlift 150kg.
The astonishing octogenarian can benchpress 100kg and deadlift 150kg.
Every Monday and Thursday, Precious runs aerobics classes that sees up to 40 men and women, aged 66 to 91, attend to keep their fitness levels up. It’s all voluntary, he says, even Liz goes!
“Well, I have to go – he’s my husband,” she laughs, rolling her eyes.
“But I’m always glad I did when I’m there!”
“It’s simple, you live longer when you exercise,” explains Precious. “But I always encourage everyone who ever feels tired to sit down. Never work out beyond your means.
“My rule is there always has to be music, upbeat music. That’s how we started in South Africa back in 1963 with our gramophone, and we’d invite over the neighbours and do aerobics.”
The 1.47m tall weightlifting champion in action in 1973.
It was living in South Africa during the apartheid regime that nearly hampered the sports star’s efforts to compete as a weightlifter. Starting out as a bodybuilder, one day Precious walked into the wrong gym, but was instantly hooked by what he saw and began lifting. Yet despite his incredible results, he was barred from representing his country.
“I got the drive to win because South Africa wouldn’t allow me to represent the country because I’m coloured,” he tells.
“As long as there was a white government in South Africa, there would be no blacks representing the country. That attitude, that mentality, drove me to say, ‘Look, I’m going to prove them wrong!’ So I moved to England.”
It was a proud moment for Precious, Liz and son Quinton when he received his MBE from the Queen in 1974.
This began the run of one of the most successful Commonwealth Games athletes in history, winning four gold medals back-to-back from 1966 to 1978. His last medal he won for New Zealand, after moving here in 1975.
“After competing at the Christchurch Games in 1974, I loved the people so much, I said, this is where I want to live!”
And his legacy is set to continue, with Precious playing a special role in the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in April, where he has been involved in the Queen’s Baton relay and is expected to present medals to weightlifting winners.
It must be said, though, Precious admits, his eyes twinkling, none of this would have been possible without the devotion of his wife Liz.
“She never complained, not once,” he says about all the hours he spent in the gym.
“Although when the kids left home, that’s when she got lonely,” he chuckles.
“Yes! I was always looking after the children, which kept me happy,” she admits.
Through “thick and thin”, Liz has loved and supported her husband since the day they were married.
“It has never bothered me. This is his thing and I’m very proud of him, plus I’ve always been the shy one, so I’m happy to stay home.
“Liz has always said to me, ‘Through thick and thin, we stick together,'” he explains.
“The thing I’ll always remember is that when I moved from South Africa to England first for two months before the family, I couldn’t find us a place to live. I wrote a letter home saying I’ll have to come back because I couldn’t find a home for us. She replied, ‘Can you remember what I said? Through thick and thin, no matter what, we stick together.'”
“And,” as Precious looks adoringly at his wife, “That’s why we are here today.”
