Les Mills, the New Zealand Olympian who opened an Auckland gym in 1968 that grew into an international group fitness brand, has died aged 91, his family confirmed.
Mills, a four-time Olympic athlete and former Auckland mayor, and his wife, Colleen, founded the first Les Mills gym on Victoria Street in central Auckland after a sporting career in which he represented New Zealand in shot put and discus.
More than five decades later, Les Mills workouts are used by clubs around the world.
The business, now run by later generations of the Mills family, became internationally known for choreographed group-exercise classes set to music.
Mills’s son, Phillip, joined the business full-time in 1980, and his partner, Jackie, helped develop the music-driven group-fitness model that became central to its global expansion.
Les Mills became an international fitness brand. (Supplied: Les Mills)
Phillip Mills said in a statement that his father had achieved a great deal in his life, but the common thread was that he always wanted to help others.
“Dad was immensely strong, driven, and always cared deeply for the less advantaged,” he said.
“He left a lasting impression on everyone he met, and his spirit lives on in gym workouts around the world, continuing to help people fall in love with fitness.“
Les Mills was born Leslie Roy Mills in Auckland in 1934.
He competed at four Olympic Games from 1960 to 1972 and won five Commonwealth Games medals, including discus gold at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica.
Move into politics
He later moved into local politics and served as mayor of Auckland from 1990 to 1998.
Juliet Yates served on Auckland Council during his first term.
She told RNZ he brought others together.
“He was a very, very pleasant person to work with,” she said.
“He was really good at bringing people together and achieving things for the benefit of the city,”
she said.
“At the time, I think the achievements of the council he was mayor of were benefiting the whole of the city.”
He also remained active in sport as a coach, helping guide New Zealand discus thrower Beatrice Faumuina to the world title in 1997 and Commonwealth Games gold in 1998.
Les Mills was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1973 for services to sport and a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2002 for services to local government and sport.
Reuters
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