His spirit lives on in gym workouts around the world
A life that began on the track and ended in the hearts of millions found its quiet close this week, as Les Mills — Olympian, mayor, and accidental architect of a global wellness movement — died peacefully in Auckland at 91. Born in 1934, he carried New Zealand's flag across four Olympic Games and governed its largest city, yet his most lasting contribution may be the simple idea that exercise, made accessible and joyful, belongs to everyone. What started as a single gym in 1968 has grown into a presence in over 100 countries, a reminder that the seeds of transformation are often planted long before the harvest is visible.
- A titan of New Zealand public life is gone — athlete, mayor, and fitness visionary Les Mills died at 91, leaving behind a legacy that spans continents and generations.
- His records on the field were extraordinary: four Olympics, five Commonwealth medals, and a shot put national record that stood unbroken for 44 years — yet even those achievements were only the beginning.
- The tension in his story is one of scale: a single Auckland gym opened in 1968 quietly contained the blueprint for a global industry, though neither the world nor Mills himself could have fully known it yet.
- His son Phillip carried the vision outward, transforming the family name into Les Mills International and spreading BodyPump and BodyCombat classes to more than 100 countries — the father's inspiration amplified by the next generation.
- What lands now is not just grief but gratitude — Phillip's tribute speaks of a man who cared for the disadvantaged and left his spirit alive in gym floors worldwide, still helping people fall in love with movement.
Les Mills, the New Zealand Olympian who quietly helped reshape how the world exercises, died peacefully on Monday at 91. His company announced his passing without specifying a cause.
Born in Auckland in 1934, Mills became one of his country's finest track-and-field athletes, competing in the discus and shot put across four Olympic Games and earning five Commonwealth Games medals. His crowning athletic moment came in 1966 with a gold in discus at the Kingston Commonwealth Games, and two years later he set a national shot put record of 19.81 meters that would remain unbroken for 44 years.
Athletics, however, was only his first act. He transitioned into coaching and administration, served as national sports director in Papua New Guinea from 1974 to 1976, and returned home to enter public life — serving as mayor of Auckland from 1990 to 1998.
His most enduring chapter began in 1968, when an athletics scholarship to the United States exposed him to the emerging fitness industry there. Inspired, he opened the first Les Mills gym in Auckland. It grew into a chain of 12 gyms across New Zealand. The true global leap came through his son Phillip, who launched Les Mills International and developed the branded group fitness programs — BodyPump, BodyCombat — that now operate in more than 100 countries.
Phillip remembered his father as immensely strong, deeply driven, and genuinely caring toward those with fewer advantages. "His spirit lives on in gym workouts around the world," Phillip said, "continuing to help people fall in love with fitness."
Mills is survived by his children Phillip and Donna, daughter-in-law Jackie, and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Colleen in 2005.
Les Mills, the New Zealand Olympian who built a fitness empire that would eventually reshape how millions of people exercise, died Monday at 91. The company he founded announced his death without specifying a cause, saying only that he had passed peacefully.
Mills was born in Auckland in 1934 and grew up to become one of New Zealand's most accomplished track-and-field athletes. He represented his country at four Olympic Games, competing in the discus and shot put, and collected five medals at the Commonwealth Games. His most celebrated victory came in 1966 when he won gold for discus throwing at the Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica. Two years later, he set a New Zealand national record for shot put at 19.81 meters—a mark that would stand unbroken for 44 years.
But Mills' athletic career, impressive as it was, would prove to be only the opening chapter of his life. After stepping away from competitive sport, he moved into coaching and administration, working across multiple disciplines including track and field, weightlifting, and football. From 1974 to 1976, he served as the national sports director in Papua New Guinea, where he built athletic facilities and trained staff across the island nation. Back home, he entered public service and was elected mayor of Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, a position he held from 1990 to 1998.
Yet it was in the fitness world where Mills would leave his most enduring mark. An athletics scholarship had taken him to the United States during his competitive years, and he witnessed firsthand the emerging fitness industry there. Inspired by what he saw, he opened the first Les Mills gym in Auckland in 1968. The venture grew into a chain of 12 gyms operating throughout New Zealand, each bearing his name.
The real expansion came through his son, Phillip Mills, who took the family business in a new direction. Phillip launched Les Mills International, developing branded group fitness classes including BodyPump and BodyCombat. These programs spread rapidly across the globe, eventually operating in more than 100 countries. What began as a single gym in Auckland became a worldwide fitness phenomenon, shaping the way millions of people approached exercise and wellness.
In a statement, Phillip Mills reflected on his father's character and legacy. He described a man who was immensely strong and driven, someone who cared deeply for those with fewer advantages. "He left a lasting impression on everyone he met," Phillip said, "and his spirit lives on in gym workouts around the world, continuing to help people fall in love with fitness."
Mills was preceded in death by his wife, Colleen, who died in 2005. He is survived by his children Phillip and Donna, his daughter-in-law Jackie, four grandchildren named Diana, Les Jr., Gabriel, and Moana, and a large extended family of great-grandchildren.
Notable Quotes
Dad was immensely strong, driven, and always cared deeply for the less advantaged. 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.— Phillip Mills, his son
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
What made Mills decide to open a gym in 1968? Was there a specific moment?
He'd been to the United States on an athletics scholarship and saw the fitness industry taking shape there. That exposure planted the seed. When he came home to Auckland, he saw an opportunity to build something similar.
So he went from being an Olympic athlete to a gym owner. That's quite a pivot.
Not really a pivot—more of an evolution. He was always thinking about athletics, training, physical development. The gym was just a different way to pursue that passion after his competitive days ended.
His son Phillip took it global with BodyPump and BodyCombat. Do you think Les Mills the founder would have imagined that scale?
Possibly. He'd seen the American fitness market. But going from 12 gyms in New Zealand to classes in 100 countries—that required a different kind of vision than what he started with. Phillip saw the potential in packaging the workouts as a brand.
He was also mayor of Auckland. How did he balance all of that?
He was driven, according to his son. That kind of person doesn't really balance—they just keep moving forward. The athletics, the gym, the city leadership, the sports administration in Papua New Guinea—it all fit into one larger vision of building things.
What's the through-line in his life?
Infrastructure. Whether it was athletic facilities in Papua New Guinea, gyms in Auckland, or fitness classes that could be replicated worldwide—he was always building systems that would outlast him. That's what his son meant about his spirit living on in workouts around the world.