78 YEARS OF UTS NORTHERN SUBURBS ATHLETICS
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
While leafing through 78 years of Northern Suburbs annual reports to compile this snapshot of the Club’s history, several familiar themes emerged.
Since the Club’s earliest days, treasurers have consistently cautioned against overspending. Coaches have expressed frustration over poor training attendance. Officials have lamented the limited involvement of elite athletes in interclub competitions. Clay Tompkins, true to form, has endured yet another injury-plagued season.
And, since the Club's 50th anniversary, Ross and Peter Douglas have remained dedicated figures in Northern Suburbs’ leadership. Both have served in numerous roles over the years, with Peter holding the position of Treasurer for an extraordinary 24 consecutive years.
Northern Suburbs began its journey in the 1927–28 season, and its first standout athlete was Frank O’Brien -a true all-round champion of the 1930s.
O’Brien secured the Club’s first State title in 1930 by winning the NSW Pentathlon Championship, a title he successfully defended every year until his retirement in 1937. A remarkably versatile competitor, he also claimed the NSW Decathlon title in 1935 and the State 440 yards crown in 1936. That same year, he went on to win the Australian Championship over 440 yards, becoming Northern Suburbs’ first national titleholder.
Ross Angus became Northern Suburbs’ first State record holder when he won the NSW 880 yards junior championship in 1935. That same year, legendary athletics administrator E.S. Marks was elected President of the Club - a role he held until 1940. A former Lord Mayor of Sydney, Marks was a successful businessman and a pioneering figure in the development of track and field in New South Wales.
The 1943–44 season saw the emergence of one of Northern Suburbs’ most outstanding athletes - John Treloar. As a junior, he dominated interclub competition, remaining unbeaten in the under-16 100 yards, 220 yards, and triple jump.
John later joined the wave of Norths athletes who moved to Sydney University Athletics Club, from where he earned selection to represent Australia at the 1948 Olympic Games in London. He returned to Northern Suburbs in 1952 and that same year became the Club’s first Olympian, competing in the 100 yards at the Helsinki Olympics.
John Treloar passed away in 2012 after a short illness, leaving behind a remarkable legacy.
1956 Olympian Ray Land joined Northern Suburbs in 1957 after relocating from Western Suburbs to Epping. He went on to serve the Club with distinction—as an athlete, sprints coach, and administrator. Ray held the role of Treasurer from 1961 to 1971 and later served as Club President from 1989 to 1993.
Raymond Charles Land was born on November 14, 1930, and competed in the men’s 100m at the Melbourne Olympic Games, advancing to the quarterfinals. He was the 230th athlete to represent Australia at the Olympics and was honored as a life member of Athletics NSW. A life member of UTS Norths as well, Ray passed away on May 14, 2020, at a retirement village on the Central Coast, aged 89.
These were the days of segregated sport, when men's and women's competitions were conducted entirely separately - and never the twain would meet. Earlier in the century, this strict separation had already sparked controversy in women’s swimming.
Although women's swimming was added to the Olympic program in 1912, the Ladies' Amateur Swimming Association of NSW had a strict policy prohibiting its members from competing in front of men. When the Australian Olympic selectors insisted that all potential team members must be seen in competition before selections could be finalised, the association reluctantly agreed to allow mixed-gender audiences.
This decision deeply upset the association’s president, Miss Rose Scott, who considered the concession immodest. In protest, she resigned her position immediately.
Norths welcomed its next Olympian through the women’s club - Helen Frith (now Searle). Helen joined Norths in 1960 after moving from Bathurst, having already competed in the long jump and high jump at the Rome Olympic Games.
As a Norths athlete, she went on to win silver medals in both events at the 1962 Perth Commonwealth Games and represented Australia again at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in the long jump and pentathlon.
Widely regarded as one of the greats of NSW athletics, Helen dominated the State scene, claiming six consecutive titles in both the long jump and pentathlon from 1961 to 1966, as well as the high jump title in 1960. In later years, she continued to excel as a world-class masters athlete in the throwing events.
Helen was joined at the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica, by fellow Norths athlete Jennifer Lamy, who would go on to become the Club’s most successful international competitor.
Jennifer was part of Australia’s gold medal-winning and record-breaking 4x110 yards relay team in Kingston and also claimed silver in the 220 yards. The pinnacle of her career came two years later at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, where she finished third in the 200m behind Poland’s Irena Szewińska and Australian legend Raelene Boyle.
Jennifer’s international success continued with gold medal performances in the 4x100m relay at both the 1970 and 1974 Commonwealth Games- each time setting a new Games record.
Norths’ standout long-distance runner, John Farrington, was selected to represent Australia in the marathon at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. Although injury prevented him from competing at the 1970 Commonwealth Games, he returned to earn selection for the 1972 Munich Olympics and the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch.
Farrington also made his mark on the local scene, dominating the early years of the City to Surf, winning three consecutive titles from 1972 to 1974.
Joining Farrington at the 1972 Munich Olympics was 400m runner Alison Ross-Edwards, another standout from Norths’ women’s club. Alison dominated the women’s 400m in NSW during the early 1970s, claiming three consecutive State titles from 1971 to 1973.
Jenny Laurendet (née Low) carried on Norths' proud Olympic tradition with her selection for the 400m hurdles at the 1988 Seoul Games. She had previously claimed bronze at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh and matched that achievement again at the 1990 Games in Auckland.
Also representing Norths at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland were Tim Jackson, who competed in the 100m and 200m, and Kathy Sambell, who claimed gold as part of Australia’s 4x100m relay team - which also featured a young Cathy Freeman. Kathy departed Norths the following year and later earned selection for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, contesting the 4x100m relay. Tim, who famously clocked a wind-assisted 10.00s in 1987, competed at his second Commonwealth Games in 1994 in Victoria, Canada, where he won bronze in the 4x100m relay. He went on to claim silver in the same event at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg, before concluding his career at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Tim also represented Australia at the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart.
Also competing at the Atlanta Olympics was Norths’ eighth Olympian, Kylie Hannigan, who joined Cathy Freeman in Australia’s 4x400m relay team.
Peter Banks represented Norths in the decathlon at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. Although the club did not have a representative at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Norths colours still featured on the world stage. When the Kyrgyzstan team’s interpreter vanished along with the funds intended for their uniforms, Norths stepped in to assist. As a result, Kyrgyzstani athletes in the javelin, long jump, hammer throw and marathon proudly wore Norths’ red, black and white kit in the Olympic Stadium.
Norths’ most recent international representatives include Nick Bromley, who placed sixth in the 800m final at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, and John Farrow, who achieved Australia’s best-ever result in skeleton with a 17th-place finish at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
A number of athletes who began their careers at Norths have gone on to represent Australia on the international stage. Gordon Windeyer competed at the 1974 and 1978 Commonwealth Games, winning gold and setting a Games record of 2.16m in Christchurch. Melissa Moore, who represented Australia at the 1992 and 2000 Olympic Games, also got her start at Norths, claiming her first national title in 1985. Another Norths talent, Stuart Gyngell, earned a bronze medal in the shot put at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.
Since the 1940s, Norths has attracted a high calibre of coaches. In 1945–46, the Club welcomed Jack Metcalfe - former world triple jump champion and 1936 Olympic bronze medallist - to join Frank O’Brien and Dr. B. Dunn on its inaugural coaching panel. In 1948, Jim Carlton, former 220-yard world record holder and father of 2UE radio personality Mike Carlton, took charge of the club’s sprinters until his sudden passing in 1951.
In 1962, Jack Pross was appointed club coach. He later served as assistant coach for the Australian track and field team at the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, and returned to Scotland in 1986 as head coach of the Commonwealth Games squad.
Norths’ standout coach of the 1980s and 90s was Col Wright, who guided the careers of three Olympians: Tim Jackson, Jenny Laurendet, and Kylie Hannigan. In recognition of his achievements, Col was named the inaugural NSW Coach of the Year in 1986.
He was joined in 1990 by life member Alan Nolan, who achieved remarkable success, particularly with middle-distance runners. After Col Wright’s retirement in 1996, two more Olympians - Darren Clarke and Penny Gillies - joined the Norths coaching panel.
Penny remains a member today, coaching some of the club’s top young athletes, including 2005 World Youth Championships representative Charlotte Yeates, 2006 World Junior Championships competitor Tristan Garrett, former club captain Danielle Cotterill (née Senior), and 2011 Junior Commonwealth Games representative Madison Gipson.
Penny has served on the Australian coaching team at multiple major events, including the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games, the 2002 and 2004 World Junior Championships, and the 2008 World Youth Championships. She was also head coach at the 2005 World Youth Championships.
UTS Norths member Robert Medlicott served as head coach at the 2006 World Junior Championships, where his sprinter Laura Verlinden was part of the team. Norths’ current coaching panel also features prominent middle-distance coaches John Atterton and James Fitzgerald. Atterton has coached athletes including Commonwealth Games representative Nick Bromley and World Junior Championships competitor Lucy Staratt, while Fitzgerald coaches James Kaan, the 2013 Australian 1500m champion.
The late 1940s and early 1950s marked a golden era for Norths’ sprinters, with the club dominating the 220 yards event in NSW. John Forsythe won the State title in both 1948 and 1949, followed by John Treloar in 1952 and Kevin Reade in 1953. Another standout sprinter from that period was 1956 Olympian Ray Land, who joined Norths in 1957 and went on to serve the club with distinction both as an athlete and administrator.
Success continued into the metric era, highlighted by Laurie Toogood’s victory in the inaugural Australian 1500m championship in 1966, where he defeated a young Ralph Doubell - who would later win Olympic gold in the 800m at Mexico City in 1968.
Throughout its history, Norths has called several venues home, including North Sydney Oval, Chatswood Oval, and Beauchamp Park in Chatswood.
A major milestone in Norths’ history was the opening of Rotary Athletics Field in 1967 by Governor Sir Roden Cutler. This achievement was the result of five years of dedicated effort by members of the Chatswood Rotary Club, and today the field remains the finest grass track in Sydney.
In 1970, one of Norths’ standout athletes, Clay Tompkins, first gained recognition by winning the under-19 triple jump at the national championships. Clay continues to compete and boasts numerous achievements, including a gold medal in the high jump at the 2001 World Veterans’ Championships held in Brisbane.
The 1983–84 season was a historic one for Norths, marked by the long-awaited merger of the men’s and women’s clubs. However, in 1987–88, Norths chose to remain independent, voting against a proposed amalgamation with the Reebok, Warringah, and Manly-Warringah Clubs amid declining athletics club memberships across the State.
In 1994, thanks in large part to the efforts of former president Toni Dickson, Norths formed a partnership with the University of Technology Sydney, becoming UTS Northern Suburbs. This collaboration has been highly beneficial, with many members also students at the university. The university’s sponsorship has provided vital funding, enabling significant growth of the athletics club. One of the most visible outcomes has been the establishment and outfitting of the weights room at Rotary Athletics Field- an achievement largely credited to former president Col Kennedy and current coach Alan Nolan.
Since its inception, Athletics NSW’s point score competition - known variously as interclub, interdistrict, and now the club premiership - had eluded Norths’ victory for many years. It wasn’t until the 2004–05 season that the drought was broken, and after 77 years, UTS Norths finally claimed the title as the premier athletics club in NSW.
The following season, Norths tied for first place with Illawong on the Club Premiership point score but lost the title on a countback. However, UTS Norths went on to dominate by winning the Club Premiership five consecutive times from 2008–09 through to 2012–13, including an impressive winning streak that spanned every round from round 2 in 2008 to round 7 in 2010.
In 2013–14, the competition was renamed the Treloar Shield, and once again, UTS Norths emerged victorious.
Athletics NSW’s other major competition is the club championship, where each club fields teams of 14 athletes to compete across 11 events (two athletes per event). In 2006, UTS Norths experienced its first success, winning the open men’s and under-18 women’s championships, while finishing runners-up in the open women’s and under-18 men’s divisions.
Just a month later, UTS Norths’ men’s team captured the national club championship title in Adelaide - the first NSW club to achieve this in the competition’s 14-year history. The winning team comprised Frazer Dowling, Peter Elvy, Kiel Mannix, Michael Zylstra, Paul Crowe, Kajtek Kielich, Stuart Paterson, James Roff, Nick Bromley, Tim Connors, Oliver Holland, Robbie Baskin, Tristan Garrett, and Jake Holt.
Not to be outdone, the women’s team went on to dominate, winning the club championship five consecutive times from 2007 to 2011. They also secured the national title in 2007, with the winning squad featuring Danielle Senior, Elzaan Pienaar, Tracey Morton, Sarah Thomson, Alicia Bromley, Katie French, Eliza Stewart, Melissa Medlicott, Krissy Hekeik, Belinda Johnson, Ellen and Phoebe Kershaw, Caroline Layt, and Anneliese Rubie.
The men continued their strong performances in 2009, with Ronan Casey, Anthony Camillieri, Robbie Baskin, Lewis Clark, Rob Dunn, Paul Crowe, Pavel Pankuch, Frazer Dowling, Oliver Holland, Matt Rando, Nick Bromley, Jake Holt, Tristan Garrett, and Sean Barnes bringing home the gold medal from Adelaide. The men also won the NSW club championship titles in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2012.
In 2006–07, Athletics NSW named UTS Norths the Metropolitan Club of the Year, praising it as “one of the great clubs of the modern era.” This honour was repeated the following season.
In 2008, Evan O’Hanlon won gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay at the Beijing Paralympics, having set world records in his individual events the previous year. At Beijing, he broke world records in all three events. Evan replicated these achievements at the 2012 London Paralympics and had the honour of carrying the Australian flag at the closing ceremony.
In the 2010–11 season, UTS Norths surpassed 300 members for the first time, becoming the largest senior athletics club in Australia. Membership continued to grow, exceeding 400 in 2011–12 and peaking at 413 in 2012–13.
In 2011, the IAAF named UTS Norths member Marie Kay the world’s best Women’s Masters Athlete. Two years later, Mackenzie Little won the women’s javelin at the World Youth Championships.
Norths’ uniform has evolved over the years, shifting from red-and-black to all scarlet, and then back to black-and-red. After distance runners complained that the predominantly black uniform was too hot, a white, red, and black design was introduced in 1998. In 2012, the club adopted a predominantly red uniform with black trim, made from lightweight, scientifically engineered materials.
Over the years, Norths’ uniform has undergone several changes - from red-and-black to all scarlet, and then back to black-and-red. After distance runners raised concerns that the predominantly black uniform was too hot, a white, red, and black design was introduced in 1998. In 2012, the club adopted a predominantly red uniform with black trim, crafted from lightweight, scientifically engineered fabric.
That brings us to the present. UTS Norths has not only endured but thrived, thanks to the dedicated leadership of its past and current office bearers. The club has produced eight Olympians and eight Commonwealth Games representatives. Today’s membership includes many exceptional young athletes - our future lies in their hands.
Adapted from the President’s Report by Ron Bendall in the 2005–11 Annual Report
