AOC historian Harry Gordon has been presented with the International Society of Olympic Historians Lifetime Award 2006.

It is only the second time the award has been presented.

The only other recipient is Canadian IOC member Dick Pound, the current head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

80 year old Gordon from Queensland’s Gold Coast received his award from the AOC President John Coates at a special lunch during the celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne.

Olympians Betty Cuthbert, Kevan Gosper, John Landy, Ron Clarke, John Devitt, Michael Wenden, John Konrads, Debbie Flintoff-King, James Tomkins, Mike McKay, Peter Montgomery, and Leon Wiegard all attended the lunch. So too did legendary swim coach Forbes Carlisle.

Gordon described Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, as one of his heroes.

He told those assembled “de Coubertin single handedly revived the modern Olympic Games, he did it against all odds, and made it prosper”.

He also paid tribute to Betty Cuthbert “and the inspiration she provided winning three gold medals on the track in 1956”.