Athletics Australia – News – Athletics Australia – News

Olympic 100m hurdles gold medallist Sally Pearson and former world marathon champion Robert de Castella are two of thirteen members of the athletics family to have been named on the Australia Day honours list. 

Pearson was a awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia ‘for service to sport as a gold medallist at the London 2012 Olympic Games.’ 

 ‘Deek’, as de Castella is known, was awarded an Order of Australia for 'distinguished service to the community through programs promoting children's health and fitness, as a supporter and mentor of young Indigenous men and women, and to marathon running.'

London Paralympic gold medallists Kelly Cartwright and Todd Hodgetts were also both awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the general division. 

Others to be recognised with OAMs are:

Jane Flemming, for service to athletics, and to the community;

Tim Erickson, for service to race walking;

Andrew Dawes, for service to athletics as a wheelchair track and field coach;

Les Nankervis, for service to athletics, particularly through coaching roles;

Kieran Modra, for significant service to sport as an athlete representing Australia at Paralympic Games, and to people who are blind or have low vision;

John Burke, for service to athletics;

Heather Lee, for service to athletics through masters race walking, and to the community;

John Howie, for service to the community of Mansfield (including volunteering at Mansfield Little Athletics)

Dorothy Blacker, for service to the community of Cobar (including volunteering at Cobar Little Athletics)

Athletics Australia – News