Pioneer of the pole vault in New Zealand Mervyn Richards of Mosgiel died on Sunday 1 July 2018 aged 87.
He won 11 straight national pole vault titles from 1952 to 1962. In winning the 1958 title he became the first New Zealander to vault 14 feet (4.27m). He set 11 New Zealand records in the pole vault and over all raised the record 46cm. In winning his last title in 1962 he vaulted a national record of 4.34m.
