Australians honoured at the Oceania Athletics Association Merit Awards

Australia’s Anne Lord and the late Maurie Plant have been honoured with Oceania Athletics Association (OAA) Merit Awards for their outstanding service to athletics which has left a lasting impression in the sport on a global scale.

Plant was a unique contributor to athletics from as early as the 1980s, all the way through to his passing in 2020, and revered as one the most innovative and enthusiastic members of the wider athletics community.

Working tirelessly to promote meets within the region, Plant was able to establish the domestic scene within Australia which allowed the emerging talent of Oceania to mix it with the best internationals on the circuit – even if their previous performances did not necessarily warrant a lane.

Possessing a profound understanding of both athletes and athletics, Plant was the perfect candidate to work behind the scenes in delivering pre-Games camps and lead-up competitions to ensure athletes in the Pacific had the best chance of success on the world stage.

Developing an excellent rapport with athletes from across the globe, there was no better man to be placed just metres from the track in the TV zone – ready to embrace athletes regardless of their results.

Plant regularly gave up his time to share his knowledge and experience to assist others in various roles within the sport – ensuring his legacy will live on for many years to come. The OAA Merit Award is set to be awarded to his three sons – Ben, Toby, and Rory.

Lord may best be known for clinching national titles and wearing the green and gold at World Cross Country Championships throughout the 1980’s, but her contributions to the sport extend far beyond her results on the track.

Turning her attention from competition to administration, Lord was able to continue her involvement in the sport through being elected to the IAAF Cross Country Committee in 2007 and being the Oceania representative until 2019.

With a passion for cross country, a fitting final contribution from Lord was her role in promoting the innovation of the discipline – seeing Bathurst secure the 2020 World Cross Country Championships which has now been postponed to 2023.

Lord is an Athletics Australia Life Member and Order of Australia medal winner, highlighting her contributions at all levels of athletics through enabling in reform and progress in many areas – including encouraging other women to step into officiating, coaching, administrative and leadership roles.

Both Maurie Plant and Anne Lord hold resumes in the athletics world that make them most worthy recipients of the Oceania Athletics Association Merit Awards.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia & Oceania Athletics
Posted: 29/10/2021