Les Rackley
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| Full name | Leslie Frank Rackley | ||||||||||||||||
| Born | c.1954 (age 69–70) | ||||||||||||||||
| Relative(s) | Les Rackley (father) Jeff Rackley (brother) | ||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Leslie Frank Rackley (born c.1954) is a New Zealand former amateur boxer and rugby union player. He won a bronze medal for boxing in the middleweight division at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games.
Early life and family
Rackley was born into a noted sporting family. His father, also called Les Rackley, was a notable New Zealand boxing trainer; his brothers Jeff, Perry, and Dean all represented New Zealand in boxing at either Olympic or Commonwealth Games; and his sisters Margaret and Tish were both national volleyball representatives.[1] Les Rackley Jr was educated at Victory School in Nelson,[1] Nelson Intermediate School,[2] and then Nelson College from 1968 to 1972, where he was a member of the 1st XV rugby team in 1972 and the 1st XI cricket team in 1970 and 1971.[3]
Boxing
Trained by his father, Rackley won New Zealand junior titles at the national junior boxing championships in 1969 and 1970.[4] In 1971 he won the national intermediate welterweight title,[5] and in 1972 he was the New Zealand middleweight champion.[6] He went on to represent New Zealand at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, winning a bronze medal in the men's middleweight (71–75 kg) division.[1][7]
Rugby union
A forward, Rackley played for the Rival Rugby Football Club in Nelson.[8] At a provincial level, he played three matches for Nelson Bays in 1977, scoring four points.[8]
References
- ^ a b c "Smith's victory destined in name of suburb". Timaru Herald. 26 January 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
- ^ "Intermediate school presents "Oliver"". Nelson Photo News. No. 86. 9 December 1967. p. 42. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
- ^ "Full school list of Nelson College, 1856–2005". Nelson College Old Boys' Register, 1856–2006 (CD-ROM) (6th ed.). 2006.
- ^ "Nelson boxers successful". Nelson Photo News. No. 120. 17 October 1970. p. 52. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
- ^ "Successful boxing season". Nelson Photo News. No. 133. 13 November 1971. p. 33. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
- ^ "This is Rackley country". Nelson Photo News. No. 145. 11 November 1972. p. 22. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
- ^ "Leslie Rackley". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
- ^ a b "Leslie Frank Rackley". New Zealand Rugby History. Kerry Geertson. Retrieved 18 July 2017.