IAAF President Lamine Diack said in a statement: "The creation of the IAAF Hall of Fame ... is an excellent way not only to honour the lifetime achievements of our greatest athletes, but also to heighten public awareness of our sport and its rich history," (
www.smh.com.au)
With the London Olympics only months away starting at the end of July, the announcement is part of the pre-Olympic public relations push that the IAAF is highlighting so as to profile the track and field program.
Betty Cuthbert is one of eleven others for inclusion, who are: Jesse Owens, Abebe Bikila, Paavo Nurmi, Carl Lewis, Emil Zatopek, Al Oerter, Adhemar da Silva, Ed Moses, Fanny Blankers-Koen, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Wang Junxia. A further twelve will be announced in the lead up to the London Olympics with Carl Lewis expected to be one being already officially named Olympian of the Century.
Well-Being Australia chairman Mark Tronson said that Betty Cuthbert AM MBE is certainly one of Australia's household names in athletics and Olympic sport.
During her career, Betty Cuthbert set world records for 60 metres, 100 yards, 200 metres, 220 yards and 440 yards, contributed to Australian relay teams completing a win in the 4x100 metres, 4x110 yards, 4x200 metres and 4x220 yards. Her distinctive running style with a high knee lift and mouth wide open celebrated in film and photograph is one of the classic images of Australian sport last century.
Betty Cuthbert won four Olympic Golds, three in the Melbourne 1956 Games (100, 200 and Relay) and then in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the 400 which bought the nation to a stand still. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Cuthbert)
Coming down with MS twenty five years later, Betty Cuthbert has been a billboard for fellow sufferers and living in Perth became close friends with Grand Slam Tennis ace Margaret Court and likewise became a follower of Jesus Christ.
Mark Tronson said that this was where he first met Betty Cuthbert when as the Australian cricket team chaplain he was visiting Perth in the mid 80's with the cricketers where Janeane Treharne of America's Cup fame introduced him to both Margaret Court and Betty Cuthbert.
On one occasion, Mark Tronson explained, he was without a car, and Betty Cuthbert graciously lent him her car to use while on cricket ministry in Perth. On another occasion he remembers, the evening before he was to fly back east, Margaret Court and Janeane Treharne with their husbands were at a city function and he was hosted by Betty Cuthbert in her unit to be collected by them later.
He recalls that the hour grew late so Betty, who was unwell, went to bed early, and he subsequently went to sleep on the lounge with the television on. Margaret and Janeane arrived back in the early hours of the morning, and they nearly had to break down the door to 'wake him'.
Many Olympic athletes are followers of Jesus Christ explained Mark Tronson. Margaret Court claims that its because elite athletes are very sensitive to the things of the Spirit of the Lord and given the right circumstances many have realised that it is Jesus who fills the unsaid longing in their lives.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html