The club would like to congratulate former club member and dual Olympian, Dion Russell on being announced as an Athletics Australia Life Member.
Russell had a stellar career, representing Australia at the IAAF World Junior Championships in 1992 and 1994, before breaking through to his first Olympic Games in 1996 at Atlanta where he represented Australia in the 20km walk.
His senior career continued strongly in 1997 having been selected for the Poděbrady IAAF World Race Walking Cup and the 20km walk at the Athina IAAF World Championships later that year.
1997 was also a big year off the track for Russell, as he became a member of the Athletics Australia Athletes Commission and in 1998 its Race-Walking Commission, serving until after the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Russell continued to balance his administrative duties with those as an athlete and continued to see success in the 20km and 50km walks throughout the late 90’s and early 2000’s. In 1998 he was selected to represent Australia in the grueling 50km walk at the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games. The 2000 Sydney Olympics saw Russell represent Australia in both the 20km and 50km walks, where he placed 25th and 27th respectively.
From 2001, Russell served as a member of the Athletics Australia Anti-Doping Commission and remained in that role for almost a decade.
In 2004 Russell extended his contribution to the sport, having been appointed to the National Selection Committee. In 2010 he would become chair, serving until his term expired in 2022.
Dion Russell in action at the 1999 Sevilla IAAF World Championships, La Cartuja, Sevilla
We’d like to thank Dion Russell for his outstanding contribution to our sport over the past four decades.
The full Athletics Australia announcement can be read on their website.
