Be extraordinary

BE EXTRAORDINARY 

The life of precious McKenzie is extraordinary for some reasons. A South African born with double pneumonia, an infection that inflames air sacs in one or both lungs which may be filled with fluid, can be life threatening particularly to infants and children and when he survived the surgery, he was named Precious. Shortly afterwards, he lost his father and his mother couldn't cope, he and his sister were put in welfare care of many foster parents who were really cruel to them.

Born in 1936 in Durban South Africa, he dreamed of becoming a circus acrobat but this was impossible due to the apartheid. Oh well, he didn't lose faith as he journeyed into weight lifting at 18, it's quite interesting to note that this is a 4ft9 (1.45 m) man. 

Credit: insidethegames.com

He was excluded from the 1958 Olympic team as the South African government made it clear that no black would represent the country and was told the only way he could represent South Africa in the 1964 Olympics was if he was separated from the whites in his team which he definitely refused, according to him it's no good being the best weight lifter if he couldn't prove it. He left South Africa for England with his wife and 2 sons in 1964 having only £95 when he arrived.

In England, he had his daughter, worked in the shoe industry and even though being black he was accepted and opportuned to represent Britain and went on to win 3 commonwealth games weightlifting gold medals in 1966, 1970 and 1974 and represented Britain again in 3 Olympic tournaments of 1968, 1972 and 1976. To him, his first gold medal was the moment he proved himself to the world. In 1974 he received an MBE from the queen.

Credit: Gettyimages.com

When he first arrived in Bristol, England his neighbours avoided them and hoped they wouldn't buy the house as they were black but when they saw him on TV they began to brag about him and when it was time for him to leave England for New Zealand they wished he didn't, safe to say you are not appreciated until you become someone.

In 1974, Precious McKenzie left for New Zealand with his wife and 3 kids as they didn't enjoy the weather in England. He was offered a job as a weight trainer in a gym which he took.

At 42 in 1978 he pushed for his 4th gold medal in Edmonton, Canada as this would be his first for New Zealand. He went on to win despite having cramps. His opponent Tamilsalvan of India crashed out after trying to lift too much, maybe in an attempt to set a world record. Normally Precious McKenzie would have given up because of the bad cramp but he persisted till the end and saw victory, according to him his 4th medal was the most special. 

Credit: Englandweightlifting.com

Coming from a poor background, being a sickly child, treated cruelly by foster parents and rejected by his country to represent them, the man, Precious McKenzie went on to win more commonwealth and world medals in his sport than any other person.

Some of his achievements include longest held world record of 37 years in sports, his 607 kg record may never be broken (never say never though) , 5 times world powerlifting champion, 10 times British powerlifting champion, 9 times British weight lifting champion, 8 world masters powerlifting record, 4 consecutive gold medals in commonwealth games, current world masters powerlifting champion.

"Victory is possible for the person who refuses to stop fighting" Napoleon Hill