The Olympics - The Proserpine Connection

Events in Paris make Proserpine’s links to previous Olympics very topical. Although there are no Proserpinians competing in the current Olympic Games people, from this great sporting town have certainly made significant contributions to Australia’s success in the Paralympics. And there have also been two wonderful occasions when the Olympic Torch relay has passed through the region involving many locals and attracting large crowds.
Alan Dufty, a wheelchair athlete, competed in three Paralympic Games – London (1984), Seoul (1988) and Barcelona in 1992. In London, he won two gold, two silver and two bronze medals and a total of twelve medals over the three games. Upon his return after the London Olympics, one of the largest crowds ever seen in Proserpine welcomed him and saw him drive slowly down Main Street in an open vehicle. At his reception, he was presented with the Advance Australia Fair Ambassadorship, an award he now shares in the illustrious company of Bert Newton, Dennis Lillee and Sir Robert Helpmann, all past recipients of this award.
David Nicholas is another outstanding Paralympian who won cycling gold and bronze medals in London in 2012, a gold medal in cycling in the C3 3000m individual pursuit in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and a bronze medal in the men’s individual pursuit C3 in Tokyo in2020.
Amanda Fraser, granddaughter of Phil and Marie Fraser, swam in seven events in the Sydney Paralympics, reaching six finals and winning bronze medals in two. By the time of the next Paralympics in Athens, she had changed sports and went on to win silver in the discus in Athens (2004) and then in Beijing (2008).  
Glen Gough, talented local equestrian, was one of the stockhorse riders to perform in the magnificent ‘Man from Snowy River’ segment in the Sydney opening ceremony, and Australian 100 metres record holder, Patrick Johnson, spent part of his nomadic childhood near enough to Cannonvale to attend the school for a short while, long enough to set a new shot put record. Patrick went on to represent Australia in the Sydney Olympics in both sprints and the relay. Can we claim him?
The Melbourne Olympic Torch Relay evoked much interest locally. The flame had to be carried all the way from Cairns to Melbourne on foot. Each runner was required to cover one mile in under seven minutes and was tested at the showgrounds. They then trained regularly, with particular attention to the considerable weight of the torch. Often this necessitated frequent changing of hands throughout the run. One runner in Bowen even trained holding a water bottle of the same weight aloft. No women were allowed to run - their longest track event in the ’56 Games was only 400 metres. Perhaps they were considered incapable!
One of the 1956 torch bearers, Kevin Duell, was also in the team to carry the Sydney Olympic Torch in 2000 which arrived by train and was then carried around the shire. Less fitness was required and the relay team was chosen from those who had made major contributions to sport and the local community. With the inclusion of nine women in the team of twenty, clearly attitudes towards women in sport had become much more enlightened by 2000. The torch was greeted with enthusiasm by thousands of spectators who lined the route.
With the prospect of the Olympic Games in Brisbane in just eight years’ time, perhaps one of our young Whitsunday athletes could be a future Olympian at those games. You never know!

Story and photo courtesy Proserpine Historical Museum

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Kevin Duell who was a torch bearer in 1956 and 2000

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