Best known for his success coaching Olympic champion and world record holder John Walker, American champion Steve Scott, and many other top New Zealand athletes, the go-getting centenarian is living proof that age is just a number.
Dubbed by one international newspaper as “the world’s oldest coach”, Arch was still training our Olympians at 94. And although he’s just celebrated his 100th birthday, he’s not putting on the brakes quite yet.
“My goal for the year ahead is to improve my bridge and keep as fit as possible. I might start playing lawn bowls again too,” says Arch, who in addition to coaching our finest athletes, forged a stellar career as a school principal and has only just retired from a 25-year stint tutoring bridge.
A string of prestigious honours and awards (including a CNZM and an OBE) encapsulate a life lived to the full. But Arch’s proudest moment? “When John Walker broke the world records for the one mile and the 2000 metres and won gold at the Montreal Olympics.
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That was a tremendous achievement. Helping Hamish Carson get to Rio in 2016 was pretty good too.”
These days coaching has taken a back seat, but Arch’s passion for athletics remains as strong as ever.
“I loved watching Sam Tanner run the 1500 metres in the Commonwealth Games. He’s only 21 and his time of 3:31.1 was for me, the highlight of the Games.”
A resident at Metlifecare’s Pinesong Village in West Auckland, retirement living hasn’t cramped Arch’s style.
“I’ve been here 20 years and I love it – although I don’t think they expected me to stay this long!”
His secret? “There’s no secret! I’ve always been fairly active, I haven’t touched alcohol since 1987, and I gave up smoking when I was 9! I could still run up three flights of stairs at 92 but I’ve traded in running for walking these days. Now I walk four kilometres a day and I play a lot of bridge.”
Genes might have something to do with it too.
“Both my grandfathers died at 57 but there’s a bit of longevity on my mother’s side. My great grandfather emigrated from Scotland to New Zealand on a sailing ship at the age of 86. He was tough as old boots.”
