BPS Community

 

 

How is former Olympic medallist, Herb Elliott, connected to the BPS Community? 

Clue: It's in the name!  Herb, who had a short, but brilliant, career as a competitive athlete from 1957-62, is still considered among the greatest middle-distance runners of all-time, and is always included on lists of the greatest milers of all time. 

In 42 races from 1957 to 1961, he was never beaten over 1500 metres or a mile. Testimony to his greatness is the fact that, although he won the Olympic 1500m in 1960, his winning time then would have still been good enough to win gold medals in Seoul (1988), Barcelona (1992), Atlanta (1996) and Rio (2016).

Elliott retired from athletics soon after the 1960 Olympics, at the age of 22. He made a career in business, and at one time was chairman of Fortescue Metals Group. 

And, Herb also fathered six children, one of whom is our very own Nurse Cecile Elliott!

Cecile recently attended the screening of a new short film which depicts the sporting partnership between Herb and athletics coach Percy Cerruty.  Cerruty's unconventional approach to the sport was instrumental in Elliott's success.

Find out more in this article from the ABC.