Born in Te Kūiti on 15 June 1924, Heron was the son of Samuel George Frith Heron and Margaret Thomasine Gwendolene Heron (née Turney) who were resident at Waitanguru at the time.[1][2]
Representing Auckland, Heron won five New Zealand national athletic titles, winning the pole vault every year from 1945 to 1950 except 1948.[3] At the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland, Heron represented New Zealand in the pole vault.[4] He finished in fourth place on a countback, recording a best height of 12 ft 9 in (3.89 m), the same as the bronze medallist, Peter Denton from Australia.[5]
