Robert De Castella (AUS) (© Getty Images)
World marathon champion Robert De Castella and Olympic 400m Hurdles champion Debbie Flintoff-King are amongst five of Australia’s greatest athletes who were inducted into Athletics Australia’s prestigious Hall of Fame on Monday (17).
Multiple Empire Games gold medallist Decima Norman, Olympic High Jump champion John Winter and Olympic silver medallist Pam (Kilborn) Ryan were also officially recognised for their outstanding achievements at tonight’s awards ceremony in Melbourne.
The five join Ron Clarke, Betty Cuthbert, Herb Elliott, Edwin Flack, Marjorie Jackson Nelson, Shirley Strickland, Raelene Boyle, Ralph Doubell, John Landy and Anthony Nick Winter in this exclusive 15-member club.
The Athletics Australia Hall of Fame was established in 2000 to recognise athletes who have made outstanding achievements in track and field at the highest level.
In April this year, the Athletics Australia awards system underwent a major overhaul. Recognised tonight were all 48 living recipients of the Athletics Australia Merit Award who were invited to accept an invitation to become Life Members. In turn, all existing Life Members, both deceased and living were elevated to Life Governors.
Recognised today were two of Australia’s most outstanding servants of the sport who were honoured with Life Governorship - IAAF Technical Committee member Dr Brian Roe (TAS) and former Athletics Australia president David Prince OAM (SA).
In its history of more than 100 years, Athletics Australia has bestowed its highest honour on forty servants of the sport.
2008 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
(Francois) Robert De Castella MBE (1957 –
Internationally acclaimed as the number one marathon runner in the world in the 1980’s, Rob de Castella, or ‘Deek’ put marathon running on the map during his athletics career. His most memorable victory was on home soil at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane where he came from behind to take victory in an extraordinary battle. Deek was also crowned world champion in 1982 and he held the fastest marathon time in the world during this period.
Debbie Flintoff-King OAM (1960 -
At the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, Debbie Flintoff-King won gold in the 400m hurdles despite receiving news of her sister Noeline's death just two weeks prior. Flintoff-King famously threw herself over the finish line to win by the barest margin, 0.01 of a second. Her time of 53.17 seconds still stands as the Australian record.
Decima Norman MBE (1909 – 1983)
The late Decima Norman won five of Australia’s six gold medals at the 1938 Empire Games and received a standing ovation at the Sydney Cricket Ground – an honour that was usually reserved for the great Sir Donald Bradman.
John Winter (1924 – 2007)
Utilising his modified version of the scissors technique, John Winter, won Australia’s only Olympic gold medal in the high jump at the London Games in 1948. He also struck gold at the 1950 Empire Games in Auckland, once again clearing 6’6” (1.98m) to claim victory.
Pam (Kilborn) Ryan AM, MBE (1939-
A sprint hurdles specialist who also dabbled in the long jump and relay, Pam Ryan won silver at the 1968 Mexico Olympics and bronze at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. She dominated the Commonwealth Games scene, winning six gold medals in three campaigns. She first broke the 80m hurdles world record in 1965, and in 1971 she set another world record for the now discontinued 200m hurdles.
