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BEIJING BOUND LUNCHEON: WA'S FAREWELL TO THE 2008 AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC TEAM

 

BEIJING BOUND LUNCHEON: WA'S FAREWELL TO THE 2008 AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC TEAM

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AOC

On Thursday 17th July 2008, the Bellevue Ballroom at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre came alive, as the WA Olympic Council hosted the largest and most prestigious Olympic function ever held in Western Australia.

On Thursday 17th July 2008, the Bellevue Ballroom at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre came alive, as the WA Olympic Council hosted the largest and most prestigious Olympic function ever held in Western Australia.

Horses led the 33 members of the 2008 Australian Olympic Team to the stage, where they stood with Australian flags proudly draped around them, while 6PRs award winning poet Mick Collis read his Olympic ode 'The Great Australian Dream'.

"There was hardly a dry eye in the room", said WAOC Executive Director Tania Sullivan. "It was a magical moment that we hope the 2008 Team Members in attendance will treasure forever".

Olympic legends including Golden Girl Betty Cuthbert, WA's oldest surviving Olympian Percy Oliver and Hockey greats Eric Pearce and Rechelle Hawkes just to name a few, joined almost 1000 guests to officially farewell our 2008 Australian Olympic Team.

The sold out luncheon was an opportunity to support our elite athletes and raise funds to go towards the estimated $14.7 million cost of sending our Australian Olympic Team to compete in Beijing. The fundraising success of the event went well beyond expectations, with the WAOC raising approximately $150, 000 through a raffle and both live and silent auctions.

"We are absolutely thrilled with the outcome of today's event thanks to the generous support of the WA business community. The athletes responded with a sense of pride, and it was a magnificent  occasion to wish them well with their endeavours in Beijing", said J Barrey Williams, Chairman of the 2008 Australian Olympic Team / WA Appeal Committee.

The most sought after auction item was the complete band signed U2 fender electric guitar, going for a whopping $23, 500. Not far behind was a framed LZR swimsuit worn by Eamon Sullivan at the 2008 Australia Olympic Swimming Trials earlier this year. Sullivan kindly signed and donated the suit that raised $16,500 for the 2008 Australian Olympic Team.

However, the generosity from Western Meat Packers outweighed the days success with Managing Director Rod Russell writing a cheque for $45,000 to go towards the WA Team Appeal.

As our athletes dream of standing on the podium in Beijing, WA's oldest surviving Olympian Percy Oliver, 89, who won the 110 yard Backstroke at the 1938 Empire Games in Sydney never had that opportunity. Oliver simply received his gold medal in the post. No presentation. No dais. No National Anthem.

Seventy years later, our past and present Olympians witnessed Oliver receive his medal in an emotional presentation that he never had.

Dressed in his official Empire Games uniform, Oliver stood proudly on the Dais while WA Opera singer James Clayton sang the 1938 National Anthem, 'God Save the King'.

Percy Oliver made history seventy years ago, and nobody will be prouder than him when our WA athletes endeavour to make history at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

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