OVA Southern Saints 60th Anniversary

A wonderful gathering of about seventy was held at the New Town Hockey Centre on Saturday 18 November to celebrate this milestone.  A remarkable achievement. 

Life Member Lauren Jauncey Gorringe was the MC on the night. Lauren was an Australian junior representative, and has made a significant contribution to athletics, sport and business. Lauren, who was employed as an Executive at Australia Post at the time, will always be remembered for fighting for equality, such that women were to receive equal prize money to men (from major sponsor at the time, Australia Post) at the Stawell Gift. 

Simon Hollingsworth flew in from Melbourne to deliver the keynote address.   (This was his third OVA function in a short period having attended the Melbourne Reunion – 27 Oct.- and the OVA Golf Day – 10 Nov.)  Simon is a former Head Prefect of the College (1989), graduated with a combined degree in Commerce-Law  (Honours) from the University of Tasmania and was then selected as Tasmanian Rhodes Scholar for 1997 (possibly the only Olympian ever to gain that honour). Simon went to Oxford University taking a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE), and graduating in 2000.

He combined his academic pursuits with his athletics and represented Australia in two Olympic Games (Barcelona & Atlanta), two Commonwealth Games and two World Championships.

After his return from Oxford, he initially worked in the private sector, before joining the Victorian public service to pursue a career in public policy.  This has included executive positions with the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet and a secondment to work with the British Government in 2005.  His policy interests focus on the areas of economic and social policy, particularly education. 

Simon was appointed the CEO of the Australian Sports Commission in September 2011 and held that position till  August 2016 to take up a senior finance position in the Victorian Government.

Simon is currently the CEO of the Magistrates' Courts of Victoria.

During the course of the evening Lauren Jauncey Gorringe interviewed Jacob Despard on his outstanding athletics journey thus far. Jacob attended St Virgil’s College from 2010-2013 and as a 16-year-old won the 2013 Burnie Gift which carried a purse of $9000. The following year he won the Devonport Gift over 400m and in 2018 he won the prestigious Stawell Gift and received a $40,000 winner’s cheque.  Jacob represented Australia in last year’s Commonwealth Games in the 4 x 100m relay. During 2023 he broke the Tasmanian Residential Record for 200m.  He is pulling out all stops to represent Australia in the Paris Olympics next year.  Throughout his journey Jacob has maintained a fierce loyalty to the OVA Southern Saints.

Another highlight of the evening was the awarding of life membership to Nathan Morey (svc 2003-06).  He has been a member of OVA Southern Saints since 2003. 

Nathan was College Captain in 2006 was also Captain of the Athletics and Cross Country teams in that year.  He became a prefect at GYC and went on to UTAS where he attained a degree in Civil Engineering.

Nathan twice made the finals of the 800m and 1500m at the National Track Championships and as a 16-year-old placed second in the State Senior 800m title.  Nathan’s career has been curtailed by injury but he managed to win the 800m title in 2018.

In 2013 Nathan took on the Presidency of the OVA Southern Saints and retained that role till 2021 – an extraordinary achievement for one so young!

Nathan Morey an outstanding Old Virgilian, a great servant of OVA Southern Saints  and a most deserving recipient of Life Membership.

Nathan is pictured above receiving his award from Brian Roe who is recognized both nationally and internationally as an outstanding athletics administrator.

The club has set up a tax-deductible page through the Australian Sports Foundation to garner support for the club relative to its continued operation and to  provide ongoing support for its athletes, such as Jacob, in meeting travel expenses to interstate and overseas competitions.

The club would welcome the support of Old Virgilians. To access information on this proposal visit the ASF website at Old Virgillians and Associates Athletics Club - Australian Sports Foundation (asf.org.au). Please consider!

Congratulations to club president , Brendan Hanigan, and his team on organizing this event and for the ongoing operation of the club.  Brendan is not a former student but has had a continued association with the club since the 1980’s.  He is a former Commonweath Games  representative and has held the Tasmanian residential 800m record (1min.45.03) since July 1994. In his injury marred career, he won two national senior 800m and two senior national 1500m titles and was voted Tasmanian Athlete of the Year on no less than 5 occasions.