Arthur Parkin: Endurance secured gold for hockey legend

The Northern Advocate People's Choice Award category in the Konica Minolta Northland Sports Awards is focusing on past Olympians. We are profiling the 13 Olympians you will be asked to vote on in early November. The winner will be announced at the awards on November 30. Today ... Arthur Parkin.

Arthur Parkin is considered one of New Zealand's most outstanding players in the history of men's hockey.

He was born and educated in Whangarei and completed his Diploma in Physical Education at Otago University in 1976 - the same year as he won a gold medal at the Montreal Olympics with a 1-0 win in the final against Australia.

The greatest ever New Zealand team had been beaten 5-1 by the Aussies in Malaysia the year before and the team's trainer Brian Maunsall decided extra training was needed.

He had Parkin running around the hills of Dunedin and the endurance training paid off when the team had to play in extra-time thrillers against Spain and the Netherlands just to make the finals. He was selected for four World Cups and four Olympic Games, although he missed out on the 1980 Moscow Olympics because of the boycott. He captained the New Zealand team from 1982-84.

He was a national selector from 1987 to 1990, was New Zealand co-coach in 1989 and coached the New Zealand Juniors from 1988-90. He was the trainer for both the men's and women's teams at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.

Following his outstanding hockey career, Arthur became a prominent golfer, representing Auckland at the provincial level from 1987-2000. He even briefly became a professional on the seniors tour and remains a sought after celebrity golfer.