Fed: 43 athletes now in Aboriginal sports hall of fame

AAP General News (Australia)
08-20-2000
Fed: 43 athletes now in Aboriginal sports hall of fame

CANBERRA, Aug 20 AAP - Football great Laurie Daley has joined more than 40 other athletes
to be honoured in the Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame.

The retiring Canberra Raiders captain joins sporting greats Evonne Goolagong-Cawley,
rugby union legend Gary Ella, Paralympian Kevin Coombes and sprinters Cathy Freeman and
Nova Peris-Kneebone in the Hall of Fame, which now includes 172 athletes representing
30 sports.

Other new members to be announced today are Michael Long, Wendell Sailor, Gorden Tallis,
Jim Williams, Chris Lewis, Jason Gillespie, Baedon Choppy and Kelly McKellar.

Stories of the athletes' achievements have also been documented in a new book entitled
Black Gold: The Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame, launched today.

"While elite athletes will become household names during the Sydney Olympics, many
others in this book will remain quiet achievers but their achievements are remarkable,"

chairman of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies,
Mick Dodson, said in a statement.

"It is a tribute to their skill, courage and persistence.

"Some have learned their sport without the advantages of proper facilities, coaches
and trainers, sporting equipment and often without due recognition and encouragement from
the wider community."

Membership is confined to those who have represented Australia or their state or territory,
held a national record or title or notched up a first for a distinguished performance.

AAP lm/cdh/bwl

KEYWORD: FAME

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