1982 Commonwealth Games marathon champion Robert de Castella initially sidelined in 2018
COMMONWEALTH Games organisers have moved quickly to invite dual Games marathon gold medallist Robert de Castella to the Gold Coast next month.
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COMMONWEALTH Games organisers have moved quickly to invite dual Games marathon gold medallist Robert de Castella to the Gold Coast next month.
The Courier-Mail revealed yesterday that de Castella had not been invited in any capacity to the Games, despite his standing as one of the most prominent of all gold medallists at the 1982 Brisbane event.
Minister for the Commonwealth Games, Kate Jones, contacted de Castella yesterday to invite him to be a guest of the State Government about the April 15 date of the men’s and women’s marathons.
De Castella said he would consider the invitations, which will include opportunities to select members of the indigenous Marathon Foundation he founded, so they could experience a Games marathon.
“I was shocked to hear that Deek had not been invited to the Games,’’ Ms Jones said.
“Like most Australians, I don’t think you can have a Commonwealth Games without Deek there.
“I’ve got to know him well at the Gold Coast Marathon each year and I called him first thing this morning to invite him.
“I’ll never forget what he achieved back in 1982 and I’ve seen first-hand the work he does in indigenous communities across Queensland.
“I had a great conversation with him today and I know he can make a significant contribution at the Games, particularly tying in the work he does with indigenous athletes.”
Invitations to present medals at events are made by the Commonwealth Games Federation, usually in consultation with governing bodies of the different sports and sometimes involve having past champions officiate at their former events.
De Castella told The Courier-Mail he had work with the indigenous Marathon Foundation (which he founded in 2009) leading up to the April 16 Boston marathon in the United States, run the day after the Gold Coast marathons.
One of the most memorable events at the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games was when de Castella prevailed in a cat-and-mouse exchange along Coronation Drive with Tanzanian great Juma Ikangaa before crossing the finish line first at South Brisbane.
The four-time Olympian’s “Deek’’ nickname became further known throughout the country when, in 1983, he became Australia’s first gold medal winner at a world athletics championship, and also when he retained his Commonwealth title in Edinburgh in 1986.
The IMF has for nine years identified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander distance running prospects and coached them for marathon competitions. An IMF contingent annually contests the New York marathon.
OVERNIGHT: He was one of the blue-chip stars of Queensland’s first Commonwealth Games.
But Robert de Castella figures he will be watching the Gold Coast Games on television in Canberra, uninvited for any official role.
De Castella, the 1982 Games marathon champion, says he does not feel he can devote the time to coming to the Gold Coast as a spectator, as it is a busy time of the year for his Indigenous Marathon Foundation.
“There’s no official capacity or role for me. If there was something significant for me to do, I’d certainly consider being up there,’’ de Castella said. “I’ll watch the spectacular television coverage from Canberra.
“It’s not good use of my time to just stay on the sidelines and cheer everyone on, even though I’d love to do it.
“I have a lot of my plate with the foundation now.’’
De Castella, 400m champion Raelene Boyle and swimmer Tracey Wickham were among the three best-loved Australian winners at the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games.
Former champions are often sought to take part in Commonwealth Games opening ceremonies, run legs of the Queen’s Baton relay on its last day or present medals to winners in their former event.
At the last Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, Scottish cycling great Sir Chris Hoy was the last baton carrier.
Poignantly, at the 2002 Manchester Games, England football captain David Beckham chaperoned Kirsty Howard, a terminally ill six-year-old, as she handed the baton, carrying a message, to the Queen.
Gold Coast Games ambassador Sally Pearson, the defending 100m hurdles champion, told The Courier-Mail last month she would be available for any role Games organisers wished to offer her.
Pearson said she was carrying the Queen’s Baton in Southport on the day of the opening ceremony on April 4.
The IMF, set up by de Castella, identifies, trains and sends Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to major overseas marathons, such as New York and Boston.
“The Commonwealth Games are around the time of the Boston Marathon – one of our runners is running in it,’’ he said.
Originally published as 1982 Commonwealth Games marathon champion Robert de Castella initially sidelined in 2018
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