It's Games on for Simon

CEO RUNNING ON RIGHT TRACK 

The 2026 Australian Athletics Championships were held at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre from 9–12 April. The consensus was that Australia has the best group of athletes in a long, long time, and there is every reason to get excited in relation to the upcoming Commonwealth Games (Glasgow 23 July-2 Aug) and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

As the current Chief Executive Officer of Athletics Australia, Old Virgilian Simon Hollingsworth (SVC 1985-89) has every reason to be excited.

Simon was appointed to that position in May 2024. What follows is the Press Release from the Athletics Australia website.

'A dual Australian Olympian and Rhodes Scholar, Hollingsworth becomes the first Olympic track and field athlete to occupy the Athletics Australia CEO role, and brings a wealth of experience in sports administration, strategy, governance, commercial and financial management skills to the position.

'Widely respected for his strategic and administrative skills, Hollingsworth’s distinguished career includes ten years as a CEO with the Australian Sports Commission and more recently the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria.

'Additionally, his background features more than 12 years in government central agencies including as Deputy Secretary at the Victorian Treasury, where he was responsible for overseeing delivery of the Victorian Budget and broader public sector financial management.'

AND THERE'S MORE... VIRGILIAN ATHLETE TO REPRESENT AUSTRALIA

Jacob Despard (SVC 2010-13) has been selected in the Australia squad to compete at the 2026 World Athletics Relays which will be held from May 2-3 in Gaborone, Botswana. 

Jacob finished 6th in the Men’s 100m event at the recent Australian Championships but was only 0.01 sec behind the 4th placegetter.

Jacob has previously represented Australia at both Commonwealth and Olympic Games and is a former winner of the Stawell Gift and the Burnie Gift.

Go well, Jacob.