Les Mills, New Zealand Olympian and gym founder, dies at 91

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 said on Monday.



Mills, a four-times 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 Mills 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' 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.



Phillip said in a statement that his father had achieved a huge amount in his life but the common thread was he always wanted to help others.



"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," he said.