At 95, he is the oldest life member to be elected to a New Zealand centre and is possibly the oldest involved in any sport in New Zealand.
"It's a great honour for me and I'm fortunate that it has happened," Dr Jefferson said.
"It is the highest honour in any organisation and it brings back happy memories of the last 60 years," he added.
The highlights for Dr Jefferson were the lasting friendships he has made.
"It is a natural thing because you have a common interest in what you are doing," he said.
Dr Jefferson has made a huge impact on athletics in Otago and throughout the country over the last 60 years.
His most notable achievement was to be the founding president of the New Zealand Sports Medicine Federation, formed in Dunedin in 1963.
Elite sports men and women and joggers are now reaping the benefits of the foresight of Dr Jefferson and his team.
"We achieved what we set out to do, to get assistance to athletes as quickly as possible," he said.
Dr Jefferson's pioneering work was recognised in 1996 when he was presented with the New Zealand Sports Medicine Federation fellowship award.
In 1979, he was awarded the OBE for his services to disabled sports and sports medicine.
He was also the recipient of a 1990 commemorative medal.
Dr Jefferson was for many years the medical adviser to Athletics Otago.
He joined the Leith Harrier Club in 1936 and was an active runner for three years before leaving Dunedin for overseas service.
He returned to Dunedin in 1950 and was elected president of the Otago Athletics Centre in 1955-56.
He has also served as an official at track and field and cross-country races organised by Athletics Otago.
He has been patron of Athletics Otago for the last 15 years.
In 1960, Dr Jefferson achieved the ultimate distinction as an athletics administrator by being elected president of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association.
He was appointed manager of the athletics team to the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth and was influential in getting master coach Arthur Lydiard added to the team to look after his athletes Peter Snell, Murray Halberg and Bill Baillie.
He recalled what happened when Halberg won the gold medal in the three-mile race.
"A group of New Zealand sailors hopped over the fence, cheered him and patted him on the back," Dr Jefferson said.
"It was a moving sight to witness."
Dr Jefferson also played a key role in the paraplegic movement, which saw him travel to Jamaica (1966) as a medical officer, to Israel (1970) as team leader, and to Germany (1972) as medical officer with the New Zealand Paraplegic teams.
In 1974, he was appointed deputy chairman of the organising committee for the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games held in Dunedin.
