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Sporting Witness: Precious McKenzie - South African Weight-lifter

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Precious McKenzie - South African weight-lifter

18/11/2011

Precious McKenzie - South African Weight-lifter

BBC World Service - Sporting Witness, Precious McKenzie - South African Weight-lifter

How he escaped apartheid South Africa and achieved international success

How the bantamweight weightlifter, Precious McKenzie, escaped apartheid in South Africa and eventually achieved international success

The diminutive weight-lifter, Precious McKenzie, was a prodigious talent, but apartheid prevented him from competing for South Africa.

Precious had to move to Britain and work in a factory in Northampton. 

While doing so, he finally achieved international success at the 1966 Commonwealth Games.

Precious went on to become a familiar figure on British TV in the 1970s.

Emily Williams talks to him for Sporting Witness.

PHOTO: Precious McKenzie shows off his medal collection (Hulton Archive/Getty Images).

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