Athol attended Waitaki Boys’ as a boarder from 1908-11. In 1911 he received the honour of being awarded Dux of the school as the top academic student. He received a scholarship to Victoria College, Wellington.

From the 1911 Waitakian he was the Head of the Camera Club, a Lieutenant in the Cadet Corps, the Senior Swimming Champion and runner up in the lightweight Boxing. Ironically his only success at the Athletic Sports was in winning the one mile walk .It was from 1912 to 1914 whilst at Victoria College that his athletic career went from strength to strength. His specialty was the 3-mile distance (4.8km) and in turn he won the Victoria College Championship, the NZ University Championship and the Wellington Provincial Championship.

The highlight of Athol Hudson’s athletics career came in early 1914. In February he won the NZAAA (Amateur Athletics Association) 3 mile championship in Dunedin.

Following this victory, Hudson won both the mile and 3 mile events at the Easter University Tournament held in Christchurch as well as the lightweight boxing for good measure.

“At the final meeting of the 1913-1914 summer season held by the NZAAA in honour of visiting American athletes, Athol Hudson again demonstrated his extraordinary athletic ability as a long distance champion. He completed the 3 mile in 15min 133/5sec.

Upon the outbreak of WW1, Athol immediately enlisted and was a part of the advanced guard sent to capture Samoa. In 1915 he returned to NZ to complete his Bachelor of Science degree at Victoria. As he was finishing his studies he was awarded New Zealand’s highest scholastic distinction – The Rhodes Scholarship. He was the sole recipient of that year and the first of five Waitakian’s to be given this great honour. The Rhodes Schoalrship was then and still is today the most prestigious international graduate programme in the world with a vision of quote “to develop outstanding leaders to promote international goodwill.”
He was offered a place at Oxford University, England to study Chemistry.
However once again, war service intervened and in early 1916 he was with the NZ forces on the Western Front as a commissioned officer.
Tragically Lieutenant Athol Hudson was killed at the Battle of the Somme on 14th July 1916 whilst leading a sniping raid against the German frontline. His death at the age of 22 was met with huge sadness by the Waitaki Community.
From the 1916 Waitakian it states “Among Waitakians, Athol Hudson was held in the highest esteem, regard and respect. His life seemed to be given up entirely to public spirited service. His unfailing modesty and his transparent unselfishness of disposition endeared him to all.”

Athol Hudson is remembered at Waitaki Boys’ on the stone monument at the entrance to the school and the brass plaque in the Hall of Memories which recognises our war dead.
His family also donated a Memorial Cup in his name – the Athol Hudson Cup for the Senior Cross-Country Champion. The Hudson Cup was first presented in 1917. It was reintroduced in 2019 and the current holder is Tasman Selfe. He was also recognised as an original inductee into The Waitaki Boys’ High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.

Athol Hudson
Waitaki Boys’ 1908-1911
Dux 1911
NZ 3 mile champion, NZ Universities 3 mile Champion 1914
Rhodes scholar 1915

“Among Waitakians, Athol Hudson was held in the highest esteem, regard and respect……his unfailing modesty and his transparent unselfishness….endeared him to all” - Waitakian 1916