# Stan Lay

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New Zealand javelin thrower

Stan Lay MBE Lay (right) at the 1938 British Empire Games Personal information Born Stanley Arthur Lay (1906-07-27)27 July 1906 New Plymouth, New Zealand[1] Died 12 May 2003(2003-05-12) (aged 96) New Plymouth, New Zealand Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2] Sport Sport Athletics Event Javelin throw Club Wanganui Taranaki Achievements and titles Personal best 67.89 m (1928)[1][3] Medal record Representing New Zealand Commonwealth Games 1930 Hamilton Javelin throw 1938 Sydney Javelin throw

**Stanley Arthur Lay** [MBE](/source/Member_of_the_Most_Excellent_Order_of_the_British_Empire) (27 July 1906 – 12 May 2003) was a New Zealand [javelin thrower](/source/Javelin_throw) who competed at the [1928 Summer Olympics](/source/1928_Summer_Olympics), [1930 British Empire Games](/source/1930_British_Empire_Games), [1938 British Empire Games](/source/1938_British_Empire_Games), and [1950 British Empire Games](/source/1950_British_Empire_Games).

## Biography

Lay won the British [AAA Championships](/source/AAA_Championships) title in the javelin throw event at the [1928 AAA Championships](/source/1928_AAA_Championships).[4][5][6] Shortly afterwards he represented Great Britain at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where he finished [seventh](/source/Athletics_at_the_1928_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men's_javelin_throw) in the javelin.

Lay's best throw of 67.89 m was achieved in [London](/source/London) on 7 July 1928 prior to the 1928 Olympics.[3] Officials thought he had broken the world record, but they had overlooked [Eino Penttilä](/source/Eino_Penttil%C3%A4)'s record throw of 69.88 the previous year. Lay's throw remained the Commonwealth record for 26 years.[7]

He represented [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand_at_the_Commonwealth_Games) at the [1930 British Empire Games](/source/1930_British_Empire_Games), where he won a gold medal. He later won a silver in 1938, and placed sixth in 1950.

Lay was a signwriter at [Stratford](/source/Stratford%2C_New_Zealand), and could not afford the time off to go to the [1934 British Empire Games](/source/1934_British_Empire_Games) in London. At the 1950 Empire Games Lay took the oath on behalf of all competitors.[7]

In the [1988 New Year Honours](/source/1988_New_Year_Honours_(New_Zealand)), Lay was appointed a [Member of the Order of the British Empire](/source/Member_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire), for services to sport.[8] Two years later he was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.[9][10]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-sr_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-sr_1-1) [Stan Lay](https://web.archive.org/web/20200418051038/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/la/stan-lay-1.html). sports-reference.com

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Empire Games: N.Z. representatives"](https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19300628.2.120). *[The Evening Post](/source/The_Evening_Post_(New_Zealand))*. 28 June 1930. p. 13. Retrieved 9 July 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-tf_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-tf_3-1) [Stanley Lay](http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=3796&Gender=M). trackfield.brinkster.net

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Peltzer fails to come back"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005049/19280707/246/0012). *London Daily Chronicle*. 7 July 1928. Retrieved 5 January 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Champions of the AAA"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003213/19280709/311/0015). *Daily News (London)*. 9 July 1928. Retrieved 5 January 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists"](https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm). *National Union of Track Statisticians*. Retrieved 5 January 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Heidenstrom_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Heidenstrom_7-1) Heidenstrom, P. (1992) *Athletes of the Century.* Wellington: GP Publications. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-86956-044-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-86956-044-2)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["No. 51173"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/51173/supplement/34). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (3rd supplement). 31 December 1987. p. 34.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-obit_9-0)** [Obituary: Stanley Arthur Lay](http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?objectid=3502393). *New Zealand Herald* (16 May 2003).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-hall_10-0)** [Stan Lay (1906–2003)](http://www.nzhalloffame.co.nz/Inductees/L/Stan-Lay.aspx). [New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame](/source/New_Zealand_Sports_Hall_of_Fame).

## Further reading

- Media related to [Stan Lay](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Stan_Lay) at Wikimedia Commons

- McMillan, Neville (1993). *New Zealand Sporting Legends: 27 Pre-War Sporting Heroes*. Auckland: Moa Beckett. pp. 74–78. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-869580-14-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-869580-14-1).

- [Photo of Stan Lay, 1930s](http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/Gov12_12Rail-fig-Gov12_12Rail039a.html)

- *[Stan Lay Flies Higher](http://pukeariki.com/Learning-Research/Taranaki-Research-Centre/Taranaki-Stories/Taranaki-Story/id/653/title/stan-lay-flies-higher),* portrait by Virginia Winder, website of [Puke Ariki](/source/Puke_Ariki), 13 August 2004[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

v t e 1928 New Zealand Olympic team Athletics Wilfrid Kalaugher Stan Lay Arthur Porritt Norma Wilson Boxing Ted Morgan Alf Cleverley Swimming David Lindsay Kathleen Miller Len Moorhouse Ena Stockley Chef de Mission: Harry Amos

v t e 1930 New Zealand British Empire Games team Athletics Allan Elliot Ossie Johnson Stan Lay Billy Savidan Diving Roy Calder Lawn bowls William Fielding Harold Frost Edward Leach Peter McWhannell Rowing Mick Brough Arthur Eastwood John Gilby Berry Johnson Jack Macdonald Vic Olsson Alex Ross Bert Sandos Charles Saunders Rangi Thompson Ben Waters Swimming Gordon Bridson Gladys Pidgeon Team manager: Rex Hobbs

v t e 1938 New Zealand British Empire Games team Athletics Theo Allen Arnold Anderson Pat Boot Betty Forbes Alan Geddes Stan Lay Jim Leckie Doreen Lumley Cecil Matthews Mary Mitchell Jack Morgan Bill Pullar Graham Quinn Alan Sayers Frank Sharpley Doris Strachan Rona Tong Harold Tyrie Boxing Joseph Collins Darcy Heeney Kenneth Moran Jack Parker Hugh Sheridan Artie Sutherland Ron Withell Cycling John Brown George Giles Frank Grose Gordon Patrick Roy Taylor Ronald Triner Ron Ulmer Diving Gwen Rix Lawn bowls Bill Bremner Walter Denison Ernie Jury Frank Livingstone Lance Macey Alec Robertson Bill Whittaker Rowing Howard Benge Ken Boswell George Burns John Charters Jim Clayton Oswald Denison James Gould Albert Hope Gus Jackson Les Pithie John Rigby Bob Smith Cyril Stiles William Stodart Rangi Thompson Swimming Noel Crump Jack Davies Winnie Dunn Peter Hanan Mona Leydon Joyce Macdonald Len Newell Wrestling Torsten Anderson Jim Dryden Joe Genet Harcourt Godfrey Leo Nolan Jerry Podjursky Vernon Thomas Chef de Mission: Horace McCormick

v t e 1950 New Zealand British Empire Games team Athletics Neil Bates Dave Batten Kevin Beardsley Johnny Borland Bev Brewis Gordon Bromley Johnny Brown Max Carr Jack Clarke Claude Clegg Dave Dephoff Ruth Dowman Arthur Eustace Pixie Fletcher Keith Forsythe Lionel Fox Arthur Fuller Noeline Gourley Shirley Hardman Doug Harris Joan Hart Peter Henderson Doug Herman Wallace Heron Allen Hill John Holland George Hoskins Bevin Hough Graham Jeffries Roy Johnson Don Jowett Colin Kay Stan Lay Jim Leckie Colin Lousich Arthur Lydiard Clyde Main Colleen Malone Maurice Marshall George Martin Raymond McKenzie Keith Morgan John Myles Harold Nelson Dorothea Parker Clem Parker Gus Redmond Eric Rhodes Merv Richards Cleone Rivett-Carnac Lesley Rowe June Schoch Janet Shackleton Cliff Simpson Jack Sinclair Lionel Smith Barry Steel Derek Steward Jack Sutherland Noelene Swinton Noel Taylor Yvette Williams Neil Wilson Roy Woolley Boxing Jim Barnden James Beal Robert Broadhurst Frank Creagh Bert Maddern James McIvor William Paterson Christopher Rollinson Cycling Graham Avery Nick Carter Alan Dean James Downie Graham Hughes Ted Lambert Les Lock Don Olive Malcolm Simpson Allen Stonex Frank Tredrea Diving Joyce Carpenter Owen Jaine Betty Moore Mayzod Reid Jack Stewart Fencing Florence Andrews Eric Cox Charles Dearing Stephen Elsom Eric Flaws Austen Gittos Murray Gittos Trevor Hadley Olga Jekyll J.H. Malcolm Allan McLeavey Nathaniel Millar J. Shaw Julius Stafford Joseph Ward Patricia Woodroffe Dudley Wright Lawn bowls Arthur Engebretsen Phil Exelby Robert Henry Noel Jolly James Pirret Fred Russell Pete Skoglund Rowing Donald Adam Kerry Ashby Murray Ashby Bill Carroll Bruce Culpan Thomas Engel David Gould Humphrey Gould Tristan Hegglun Bill James Grahame Jarratt Ted Johnson Colin Johnstone John O'Brien Don Rowlands Joe Schneider Des Simonson Edwin Smith Bill Tinnock Swimming Michael Amos Lyall Barry Norma Bridson Colin Callan Colin Chambers Noel Chambers Trevor Eagle Roger Gibbs Winifred Griffin Peter Hanan Joan Hastings Kristin Jacobi Buddy Lucas Helen Mackenzie Peter Mathieson John Shanahan Jean Stewart Margaret Sweeney Water polo Charles Brown Jim Cameron Terry Harris Bob Hatchwell Barrie Hutchinson Tom Logan Edward Raven Jim Walsh Neil Williams Wally Williams Weightlifting Trevor Clark Harold Cleghorn Tony George Lewis Lawn Edwin Norton Wrestling John Armitt Peter Fletcher Gordon Hobson Eric Matthews Jack Monaghan Doug Mudgway Pat O'Connor Arthur Sneddon Chef de Mission: Bill Holley

v t e Commonwealth Games champions in men's javelin throw 1930: Stan Lay (NZL) 1934: Bob Dixon (CAN) 1938: Jim Courtright (CAN) 1950: Leo Roininen (CAN) 1954: James Achurch (AUS) 1958: Colin Smith (ENG) 1962: Alf Mitchell (AUS) 1966: John FitzSimons (ENG) 1970: Dave Travis (ENG) 1974: Charles Clover (ENG) 1978: Phil Olsen (CAN) 1982: Mike O'Rourke (NZL) 1986: David Ottley (ENG) 1990: Steve Backley (ENG) 1994: Steve Backley (ENG) 1998: Marius Corbett (RSA) 2002: Steve Backley (ENG) 2006: Nick Nieland (ENG) 2010: Jarrod Bannister (AUS) 2014: Julius Yego (KEN) 2018: Neeraj Chopra (IND) 2022: Arshad Nadeem (PAK)

v t e New Zealand national champions in men's javelin throw 1921–1922: Ernest Sutherland 1923: Jack Merchant (USA) 1924: Eric Dunbar (AUS) 1925: Peter Munro 1926–1930: Stan Lay 1931: Harlow Rothert (USA) 1932: Peter Munro 1933: Rex Cresser 1934–1935: Stan Lay 1936: Claude Clegg 1937: Stan Lay 1938: Claude Clegg 1939: Stan Lay 1940: Frank Adlam 1941–1944: not held 1945–1946: Stan Lay 1947–1949: Claude Clegg 1950: Stan Lay 1951: Neville Grinter 1952–1953: Arthur Grayburn 1954: G. Lewis 1955–1959: Malcolm Hahn 1960: Robin Ball 1961: Malcolm Hahn 1962: Robin Ball 1963: Murray Speden 1964–1966: Robin Ball 1967: Raymond Paterson 1968: Robin Ball 1969–1971: Raymond Paterson 1972: D.C. Leary 1973: Raymond Paterson 1974: P. van der Griend 1975: David Hookway 1976–1982: Mike O'Rourke 1983: David Hookway 1984–1986: John Stapylton-Smith 1987: Gavin Lovegrove 1988: Mike O'Rourke 1989: John Stapylton-Smith 1990–1994: Gavin Lovegrove 1995: Andrew Harrison 1996–1997: Diggory Brooke 1998: Erin Bevans 1999: Vladimir Ovchinnikov (RUS) 2000: James Goulding 2001: Andrew Harrison 2002: Joachim Kiteau (FRA) 2003: Stuart Farquhar 2004: Park Jae-myong (KOR) 2005–2016: Stuart Farquhar 2017–2019: Ben Langton Burnell 2020: Alex Wood 2021: Anton Schroder 2022: Jared Neighbours 2023–2025: Douw Botes 2026: Alex Wood

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