Neil Wilson (athlete)


Neil Thomas Osborne Wilson was a New Zealand runner who represented his country at the 1950 British Empire Games.

Early life and education

Wilson was born in the Auckland suburb of Epsom on 8 April 1930, the son of Lois Annabell Rona Wilson and Allan Baxter Wilson. He was educated at King's College, Auckland.

Athletics

Wilson gained national attention as a junior, winning the national men's under-19 880 yards title in both 1948 and 1949, and the national men's under-19 1 mile title in 1949. He also won the national men's under-19 cross-country championship in 1948.
At the 1950 British Empire Games, Wilson competed in the men's 880 yards. He ran second in his heat, recording a personal-best time of 1:53.2, and advanced to the final, where he ran a time of 1:53.7 to finish in fourth place.
In 1951, Wilson won the New Zealand national men's 880 yards championship title in a time of 1:56.1.

Personal life

Wilson married Raewyn Joy Clark in about 1955, and the couple went on to have two children. Wilson died in Motueka on 14 August 2023, at the age of 93, having been predeceased by his wife, Raewyn Wilson, in 2014.