What do Clint Robinson, Dawn Fraser, Alyce Wood, and Benny Pike have in common?
They are all proud Olympians who call the Sunshine Coast their home and will come together for a special celebration.
In 1984 the Sunshine Coast hosted Queensland’s first official Olympic welcome home ceremony.
After returning from the Los Angeles Games, five Sunshine Coast sportspeople were recognised for their achievements across a multitude of sports including kayaking, water polo, and boxing.
Chair of the Sunshine Coast Region 2032 Sports Legacy Taskforce, Shane Truscott, said that the Sunshine Coast boasts a long and proud history of sporting excellence with almost 40 regional representatives competing at the 2024 Paris Games.
“This the highest contingent of athletes representing our region to date, we expect to see this number double for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games,” he said.
“The biggest contributors to the anticipated increase are our favourable climate, access to quality sporting facilities and elite coaches for training, and our massive population surge.
“There is also great anticipation and excitement with the 2032 Games being held in Brisbane, this is a significant motivator for our next generation of athletes.”
This year’s welcome home ceremony will be particularly special as Olympians across four decades will come together to celebrate their achievements.
An award ceremony will recognise Paris Olympians and Paralympians and be MC’d by one of Australia’s finest sporting broadcasters, John McCoy.
Dawn Fraser AC MBE, Australia’s champion freestyle swimmer and eight-time Olympic medallist – including winning a gold for freestyle swimming at Australia’s first Olympics in 1956, will present the personalised plaques alongside Olympic pioneer and former Brisbane Lord Mayor, Sallyanne Atkinson OA.
Attendees include not only young and current Olympians and Paralympians, but also four of the original 1984 Sunshine Coast Olympians. Hayden Kenny – kayaker, Russell Sherwell and Julian Muspratt – water polo, and boxer Rick Finch.
Special awards include perpetual trophies for best Sunshine Coast Olympic and Paralympic performance. These will be presented by Olympian Kayaker Clint Robinson OAM and 2024 Sydney Olympic flag bearer and Paralympian swimmer, Brendan Burkett.
“The welcome home event, which will be held late afternoon Monday September 16 at the Maroochydore Surf Club, is an opportunity for our athletes and their families to be awarded for their enormous contribution and dedication to their sport,” Mr Truscott said.
