Canterbury Bankstown’s top 20 sporting heroes countdown Part 4

THIS is fourth and final part of our countdown for our greatest local sporting heroes from Canterbury Bankstown.

Ian Thorpe celebrates after winning the men's 200m freestyle at the 2004 Olympic Games.

• Tony Roche joins our elite list
• Are your sporting greats in our list?
• See who is in our top sporting heroes list

THIS is fourth and final part of our countdown for our greatest local sporting heroes from Canterbury Bankstown we reckon might well make the list but is extremely hard to chose between the champions from different eras.

During a long career, our sports writer Lawrence Machado has interviewed legends such as boxer Muhammad Ali, footballer Pele and cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers.

Now he wants to start a local debate about who are the greatest local sporting heroes from the Canterbury Bankstown area.

But what do our readers think? Tell us who you think deserves a top 20 accolade as we continue the list online and on social media.

Is there a slice of local sporting history we can help write?

His research sparked a couple of healthy debates, such as who is the greatest Bulldog: Steve Mortimer or Terry Lamb. He might be nicknamed “Turvey” but we’ll claim the great Mortimer for this survey. And is East Hills Boys High our best sporting school?

Send us your list of top sports heroes in our area to: [e-mail]

Ian Thorpe had the incredible speed and skill to beat the world’s best. Picture: Gregg Porteous

1. Ian Thorpe Revesby

Youngest ever to represent Australia when he was just 14, Ian Thorpe is regarded as our greatest Olympian, retiring at his peak with five golds, including three golds and two silvers at the 2000 Sydney Olypmpics. This is despite his allergy to chlorine which is found in swimming pools.

Ian Thorpe winning gold at the Athens Olympics in 2004. Picture: Jeff Darmanin

A famous alumni of East Hills High (Technology) School, the Panania local was the first swimmer to win six gold medals in one World Championship at the 1981 event.

Thorpe, now 35, comes from a sporting family with his dad Ken playing for Bankstown District Cricket Club, and once topping the batting averages ahead of former Australian coach and captain Bobby Simpson. His mum Margaret played A Divison netball. He began swimming at the advice of his sister Christine to strengthen his broken wrist and the rest is history.

Steve Waugh is one of Australia’s greatest cricketers and captains.

2. Steve ‘Tugga’ Waugh, another of the East Hills Boys High School greats who is my standout of the Australian cricket team if sheer guts and determination were needed.

Less stylish than his twin and fellow Test star Mark, Steve scored 10,927 runs in a 168-Test career, famously hitting the last ball of the day in the Sydney Test in 2003 to seal his 100 against England. It also saw him pass 10,000 Test runs and draw him equal to the legendary Sir Donald Bradman on 29 tons. He was also a more than useful medium pacer.

Steve Waugh is heavily involved with charity.

Waugh, now 53, led Australian to 15 of their record-setting 16-Test win streak and the 1999 World Cup, having been a young but crucial member of Allan Border’s 1987 World Cup triumph in India. Born in Campsie, he was known as the ice man and is listed among the 100 Australian Living Treasures. He was 2004 Australian of the Year and led Australia to 41 Test wins from 57 games.

Outstanding swimming coach Don Talbot flanked by Olympic stars Ilsa and John Konrads.

3. John Konrads, and his sister Isla, were known as the Kondrad Kids and made their mark at the Australian and world level. John, who later battled with bipolar issues, studied at Reveseby Primary School where Don Talbot — who would become one of Australia’s most successful coaches — guided his swimming career at Bankstown Swimming Club.

John Konrads with his some of his medals and memorabilia.

Kondrads, now 76, was born in Latvia, and set an astounding 26 individual world records in both short and long distance events. He captured the 1500m freestyle gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics, having taken two golds at the then Empire Games in 1958. He and his sister used to train very hard as youngsters training before and after school.

Jeff Thompson was the fastest bowler in the world in an era of great fast bowlers.

4. Jeff Thompson. His ferocious speed and aggression helped Australia dominate world cricket in tandem with the legendary Dennis Lillee. He began his career playing for Punchbowl High School — where he partnered another future Test player Len Pascoe — and ended up playing 51 Tests and 50 ODIs. The Greenace star claimed 200 Test wickets and 55 ODI wickets.

Jeff Thompso was the fast bowler than Rod Marsh had seen, from behind the stumps.

Now 67, Thommo was the most feared bowler in his hey day and is in the Australian cricket Hall of Fame. As his famous teammate Rodney Marsh says: “Some say he was faster than the 160kph that he was measured at. I don’t know, but what I do know is that he was faster than anyone I ever kept to.”

Ilsa Konrads training at Bankstown pool in 1961. Picture: Warwick Lawson.

5 Isla Konrads, who was born in Latvia, was a brilliant freestyle swimmer who set 12 world records — some aged just 13 — and won a silver medal in the 4×100m freestyle relay at the 1960 Rome Olympics.

John and Ilsa Konrads with their parents Janis and Elza at Uranquinty Migrant Centre near Wagga Wagga in the 1950s.

In the two years before the 1960 Rome Olympics, Konrads smashed world records in the 440-yard, 400-metre, 1500-metre and 1650-yard races.

She defeated superstars Lorraine Crapp and Dawn Fraser at the 1958 Empire Games to win the 440-yard swim.

Born in 1944, she and her brother John came under the expert tutorage of a future top swimming coach Don Talbot at Revesby Primary School and Bankstown Swimming Pool.

When she was 13, Kondrads smashed the world records for the 800m and 880 yard freestyle world records at the NSW championships.