WORTH THE WEIGHT FOR ENGLISH GLORY

PRECIOUS McKenzie won weightlifting gold in four consecutive Commonwealth Games from 1966 to 1978.

That is an amazing achievement in its own right. However, the back story adds to the significance.

He was named Precious after surviving major surgery shortly after his birth in South Africa in June 1936.

Following an ambition to become a circus acrobat, Precious took up weightlifting and progressed to be a South African record holder. Due to the apartheid regime in South Africa which frustrated his sporting ambitions at this time, Precious moved to England in 1963.

The 1.45m athlete then won the first of his three weightlifting gold medals for England in 1966.