Olympic silver medallist Rick Mitchell and Life Member Peter Duras among nine recognised in Australia Day honours

Nine members of the Australian athletics community, including Olympic silver medalist, the late Rick Mitchell, have today been named on the 2024 Australia Day Honours List by His Excellency General, the Honourable David Hurley AC.

Appointed Members of the Order of Australia (AM) were Athletics Australia Life Member Peter Duras AM and national technical official Lynne Schickert AM for their service to athletics.  Duras was a pathfinder in providing sports medicine support as a highly respected physiotherapist on national teams, while Schickert for over three decades has been and remains an athlete, official and administrator , making her mark in both mainstream and masters athletics at a local, national and international level – including working to introduce masters events to the World Cross Country program in Bathurst in March 2023.

The late Rick Mitchell OAM was honoured posthumously, for both his contributions to the sport as an athlete and his role in sports administration. The Olympian’s silver medal in Moscow in 1980 was the last individual men’s running medal by an Australian at the Olympic Games, and after retiring from elite competition, the Athletics Australia Hall of Famer took on roles in sports administration including as director of the Tasmanian Institute of Sport.

Heather Carr OAM and Pat Carroll OAM were also recognised for their achievements as athletes – including in Carr’s 45 individual medals in 23 appearances at World Masters Championships and her work as a volunteer administrator with Victorian Race Walking and Southern Peninsula Masters. Twice the national marathon champion and a triple Commonwealth Games representative, Carroll is also acknowledged for his contribution to community health through his running programs.

Adding to the credentials of Australia’s national technical official cohort, Athletics Australia Platinum Pin recipient Arthur Whitchell OAM was honoured for his 78-year involvement in athletics as a member of Athletics Essendon.

Professor Cliff Mallett OAM was recognised for his work in tertiary education in addition to a substantial contribution to athletics coaching and coach education, particularly at the high performance level, and former Athletics Victoria Vice President Lisa Hasker OAM was bestowed the honour for work as a coach with Sandringham AC and sports administration.

85-year-old Northern Tasmanian Athletics technical official Brian James ESM was recognised in the Meritorious Awards List for his commitment as a volunteer and mentor within the State Emergency Service.

Athletics Australia CEO Peter Bromley extended his warmest congratulations to each, and thanked them for their contributions to the sport.

“As we proudly survey the Australia Day Honours list, we are thrilled to see so many of our esteemed athletics community members recognised for their impact on the wider Australian community,” Bromley said.

“Never before have we had so many valued members of our community recognised, and it is particularly wonderful to see a mix of technical officials, athletes, coaches and administrators recognised for their tireless dedication and exceptional contributions to the sport, all of which have played a vital role in shaping the narrative of this sport.

“I’d like to congratulate each of them and thank them for all that they do for Australian athletics, and in particular Athletics Australia Life Member Peter Duras and technical official Lynne Schickert, who have been named as Members of the Order of Australia, and make mention of Athletics Australia Hall of Famer and Olympic silver medallist Rick Mitchell, who passed away in 2021. His contributions to our sport will never be forgotten and it is wonderful to see him honoured posthumously.”

While the above individuals deserve due recognition, Athletics Australia would also like to acknowledge the achievements of sports marketer Mike Bushell AM and Australian Olympic Committee vice-president Evelyn Halls OAM, who were both named on the Australia Day Honours list today. Both  have contributed to Australian athletics through their work with the wider sports sector.

A complete list of members of the Australian athletics community recognised on the Australia Day Honours List is available below:

Member of the Order of Australia (AM)

• Peter Duras AM
• Lynne Schickert AM

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)

• Arthur Whitchell OAM
• Rick Mitchell OAM
• Heather Carr OAM
• Pat Carroll OAM
• Lisa Hasker OAM
• Cliff Mallett OAM

Meritorious Awards List:

• Brian James ESM

By Brian Roe and Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 26/1/2024