Witness to Munich Olympics massacre
Gavin Thorley
Olympian, community stalwart b June 11, 1947 d July 3, 2022
Gavin Thorley was an eyewitness to the most evil act in Olympic history – the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Despite suffering a cruel career-ending injury at Munich, Thorley would exhibit all that is good about the ‘‘Olympic spirit’’, becoming a significant figure in the Special Olympics movement on the Kā piti Coast and a tireless community worker.
Thorley died earlier this month, from cancer, aged 75.
In a 2017 NZME interview, he said he would never forget witnessing the Munich attack and was haunted by what he had seen. ‘‘It was a very sobering experience and one that lives on for those of us who were there.’’
The New Zealand team were next to the Israelis in the Olympic village and the first he heard of what became known as the Munich massacre was hearing screams in the middle of the night.
Dragged out of his room by a German policeman, he was told there had been a shooting. After returning to his room, he watched the events unfold and could see armed forces on nearby rooftops.
He watched West German Chancellor Willy Brandt negotiating with the eight Palestinian hostage-takers and saw them depart by helicopter.
Heather Thorley says: ‘‘What bothered him most was that they only targeted the Israelis. The terrorists would wave out to the other athletes.’’
On the anniversary of the massacre, Thorley would talk to schools about what he had seen, emphasising it must never be allowed to happen again, she says.
From a personal point of view, the Olympics were devastating for Thorley, who went there to compete in the 5000 and 10,000 metres. A world-class athlete, he left with high hopes but they were dashed before he even arrived.
In 1971, he had narrowly missed Murray Halberg’s national 5000m track record, before winning the Belgian crosscountry title.
In doing so, he beat the rest of the Kiwi team, but also Belgium’s best, including Emile Puttemans, who would set world 5000m and 3000m records the following year; Karel Lismont, 1972 and 1976 Olympic marathon medallist; and steeplechase world record holder Gaston Roelants.
But on the flight to Munich he suffered back pain so severe he could barely walk, and had to be carried off the plane by discus thrower Robin Tait.
After treatment by osteopaths travelling with the American team, Thorley competed, but his days as a world-class athlete were over. Subsequently diagnosed with congenital defects in his spine, he was told he would not run competitively again.
It was a huge shock for a man who first discovered he was quick at Paekā kā riki School. Running in his first cross-country event, he quickly made his way to the front of the pack, only to be told by two older boys that he wasn’t allowed to pass them.
He attended Kā piti College from 1961 to 1963, leaving when he was accepted as one of the youngest to be enrolled into the Wellington Polytechnic School of Design, aged 16.
After graduating, he worked for
Wright Stephenson and Co before taking a number of media roles. These included advertising layout at The Evening Post, later becoming a finishing artist, head artist, and eventually head of the art and copywriting department.
He later joined sporting friends Barry Sturgess, a rifle shooter, and Rex Redden, a boxer, as a partner in a Porirua sports shop. They opened a second shop in Coastlands mall in Paraparaumu in 1973, and in 1978 he used experience gained managing the shops to become a property manager.
Over the course of his career, he managed several big shopping centres, including Manners Plaza in Wellington,
Maidstone Mall in Upper Hutt and the Downtown Shopping Complex in Queen St, Auckland. Later, he would have stints as a property manager for Lower Hutt and New Plymouth councils.
Although sport and property management dominated his life, it was his contribution to the community that those attending his funeral agreed was his greatest achievement.
His short but distinguished sporting career and his broad work, and business experience, were turned to good use. He worked tirelessly for Kā piti’s Special Olympics movement, holding a number of roles before becoming patron.
As well as a talent for fundraising, he coached and mentored many of the organisation’s athletes. Accompanying athletes to regional and national competitions, Thorley paid his own way so that all funds raised could be used for the athletes.
A foundation member of the Kā piti Harriers and Tri Club, he was a competitor, coach, treasurer, secretary, chairperson and club captain. As a trustee at Raumati South primary school, he donated his remuneration back to the school to be used for books.
With his considerable experience in building design, he provided, free of charge, the concept drawing designs for the school’s new hall and staff room. In 2018, decades after his children had left the school, he established a group to provide funds for pupils suffering hardship.
One of his last projects was in 2020. After being diagnosed with cancer, he helped design and then project-managed a community trust programme to build a house for a Waikanae man, Kane Roper, with multiple sclerosis.
Close friend and fellow athlete Robin House told those attending his funeral that the impact Thorley had went well beyond being an athlete. ‘‘Gavin the runner was a standout, but that was 50 years ago. The man I got to know after that was much more – the real, whole, rounded person – and I’m left with memories of a talented, creative, hardworking, generous, fun and loyal friend.’’
Highly regarded on the Kā piti Coast, his close friends included former governor-general Sir Jerry Mateparae.
Thorley is survived by wife Heather (ne´ e Wilson), whom he met while competing in the Vosseler Shield in June 1975, and by their children Clare, Raymond and Juliet.
Although proud of his athletic success, Heather says his greatest contribution was his tireless work for the community. He used his business expertise to help many, but did not like being in the spotlight. ‘‘He never said ‘I did that,’ he would always say, ‘We did that.’ He always took a collaborative approach.’’
Throughout his life, he looked to help others and never asked for anything in return. That was best summed up by his attitude to coaching athletics. Although he competed at an elite level, he coached hundreds of club runners and took great delight in seeing them improve.
‘‘He just wanted everybody to be happy. He would help people who needed help, particularly people who were disadvantaged or disabled, he would take the time to help them.’’
Whā nau was hugely important to him and, as a father, as in life, he looked to avoid conflict. ‘‘Maybe that came from Munich, but he always believed conflict could be better solved without anger.’’
Before he died, Thorley wrote that he had led a wonderful life and had no regrets.
‘‘My family are the world to me, and I just hope the traumas of the world (currently Covid) don’t impact on them having lives of their own that are as fulfilling and enjoyable as mine has been.’’
Sources: Heather Thorley, Robin House, Sir Jerry Mateparae, Shane Cave, Athletics New Zealand.
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