Multiple Olympic gold medal-winning shooter Russell Mark accredits Mildura with starting his legendary career.
The trap and double trap master has a slew of Olympic and Commonwealth gold and silver medals, he has competed in numerous World Cups, World Championships and Australian Championships and has an Order of Australia Medal.
As well as being on the Australian Olympic Committee and a coach, Mark is also one of Australia’s favourite after-dinner speakers, which is why he found himself in Mildura, speaking at the Harvey Norman 3MA FM Northern Mallee Sports Star Awards on Friday night.
Before the awards, Mark revealed that Mildura holds a special place in his heart.
“My career actually started here in Mildura, this is where I had my first competitive shoot,” he said.
“It was the Easter competition of 1977, and in the Victorian circuit, Mildura was one of the biggest events in the state.
“My father was on the board for Winchester at the time and we travelled along to the event and he asked me if I wanted a shot, so as a 13-year-old I took my first competitive shot right here.
“I was still more interested in playing footy and cricket, and it wasn’t really until I finished school that I started to take shooting more seriously.
“In the end it came down to me wanting to go to the Olympics and you couldn’t do that in footy or cricket.”
Mark admits that being a gold medallist does open up a lot of opportunities.
“When you win a gold medal, that is what you have been preparing for your whole life, but no one really prepares you for what happens after,” he said.
Mark recalled the story of the time he coached one of the richest men in the world.
“I was asked by the Sultan of Brunei to come and coach the Prince of Brunei, and at that time the Sultan was the richest man in the world,” he said.
“The Prince had the biggest and best shooting set-up I have ever seen, even better than the Olympics, and it was all for just one man.
“I couldn’t help him though, he was terrible, he couldn’t hit the back wall of this room,” he laughed.
After the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, shooting in Australia as a sport took a massive hit, with Mark and fellow shooter Michael Diamond thrust into the spotlight.
“To be honest we were sick of answering questions about it,” he said.
“We got to the athletes’ village last and they gave us room 13, the room no athlete wants.
“On day one Michael won individual gold and on day five I won my gold medal and we left on day eight still the only two individual gold medal winners from Australia. When we left everybody wanted room 13.’’
Mark was impressed with the variety of awards handed out at the Northern Mallee Sports Star Awards.
“Awards like these may be the start of someone’s career, not just the sporting people, but for those behind the scenes as well.
“Mildura is, and always has been, a strong sporting city, especially with all the young talent coming through.”
Mark presented the Peter Manolas Trophy for the Sports Star of the Year to drag racer Phil Lamattina.
The Mildura Heat basketball team had a night to remember, taking out the Senior Team of the Year title, while coach James Madigan won the award for Coach of the Year.
Robinvale Football Netball Club secretary Marion Leslie was also recognised for the Administrator and Volunteer of the Year awards, while she also accepted the award for Club of the Year on behalf of the Robinvale Football Netball Club.
Young gun footballer Jacob Chisari also made multiple trips to the stage for the Junior Encouragement Award, and as part of the Sunraysia Schoolboys under 15 football side which took out the Junior Team of the Year.
Frank Cavallaro was named Master Athlete of the Year for his work in harness racing, soccer player Kathleen Sailor took home the Aboriginal Sportsperson of the Year, and basketballer Anna Kerridge was the winner of the Athlete with a Disability of the Year.
This story appeared in Monday’s Sunraysia Daily, 14/02/2011.
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