Australia has lost one of our greatest track athletes with the passing of John Treloar on the eve of the 30th Olympiad. John was the first Australian to qualify for a 100 yard final at an Olympic Games and will always be remembered as a remarkable trailblazer for athletics in this country.
At the 1952 Games in Helsinki, John ran in the 100 yard final and narrowly finished in 6th place, only 0.1 seconds behind the winner. While John didn't medal in this race, his gallant feat on the track set the pace for Australian athletics to grow and prosper. His success on the Olympic stage at the 1952 Games heralded Australia's emergence as a great sporting nation and helped to shape our reputation as a formidable force in international sport. His legacy to Australian sport will be showcased at the upcoming London Games in the passion of our athletics team which will strive to emulate his success and represent Australia. John was a great sprinter and a legend on the track, but he will also be remembered fondly as a family man and a remarkable team mate who inspired those around him. The thoughts of the nation are with John's family and friends as they mourn his passing.