Congratulations to Heather Carr OAM
Glenhuntly Athletic Club – Latest News
Congratulations to Heather Carr OAM on receiving an Order of Australia (OAM) for service to athletics
Heather has been a member of Glenhuntly Athletic Club since 2015 and is one of our top-scorers at summer AVSL competition. Although race walking is Heather’s first passion, she is very talented across a range of events, and she holds numerous age-group Glenhuntly Athletic Club records from the 60 m sprint to the 2,000 m steeplechase through to the javelin, the discus and many more.
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Heather started race walking in 1987, and her excellence in this discipline resulted in a National and a World record within her first two years of racing. As she has progressed through the age groups Heather has continued her record-breaking success. In recognition of her achievements, Heather had the honour of being the Australian flag bearer at the 1997 Durban and 2013 Porto Alegre World Veterans/ Masters Championships. Heather’s dedication to athletics has also seen her fulfil many administrative roles, especially within the Victorian Race Walking fraternity. Heather is a fierce competitor who continually strives to improve while inspiring and encouraging her fellow athletes, from the young beginners to her peers.
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Highlights
Australian Masters Athletics
Oceania Women’s Representative, World Masters Athletics Women’s Committee since 2018
Inductee, Hall of Fame, since 2015
Flag Bearer, World Masters Championships, 1999, 2013
Competitor, since 1987
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Victorian Race Walking Club
Committee member, since 2001
Women’s Club Captain, current
Club Uniforms Officer, 2006
Assistant Secretary and Treasurer, 1998-99
Club Captain, 1990-91
Life Member, since 2017
Member, since 1987
Honouree, Perpetual Heather Carr Trophy, Masters Women 10 km
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Regional and club roles
Secretary, Southern Peninsula Masters Athletics, 1998-2021
Committee Member, Victorian Masters Athletics, 2002-2004
Member, Glenhuntly Athletic Club, since 2015
Life Member, Rosebud Little Athletics, since 1993
Past Member, Eaglehawk Athletic Club
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Awards and recognition include:
Walks Athlete of the Year, Australian masters Athletics, 2009, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020
World Masters Athletics Best Master of the Year, Racewalks Category, 2017, 2019
Most Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year, Australian Masters Athletics, 2010
Variouis World Records, World Masters Championships and Oceania Masters Championships
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Background
Now retired, many decades Heather was a Kindergarten Teacher, teaching children from 3 years to 5 years. Heather was born in Warragul, a rural town in Victoria, Australia. She always loved being outdoors, being active, enjoying clean, pristine air and fresh food. Her family then moved to another rural town, Avoca, where she spent her primary years at school. Heather finished off her secondary education at Castlemaine High School, in the centre of Victoria’s gold mining region. Then she moved to Melbourne where she completed her training as a kindergarten preschool teacher. After marriage, followed 4 children, and living on a farm where beef cattle were raised. Then Heather discovered racewalking through her children’s involvement in Little Athletics. Heather began her international competition in 1987 when the World Veterans Athletic Championships were held in Melbourne. Previously, she had had played a lot of team sports, e.g., hockey, softball, prior to athletics, but racewalking was the one that really ‘got’ her! Her husband, Bill, is an athlete; a sprinter, so their training is vastly different from one another’s, but athletics is the ‘glue’ that binds them together. They love travelling to new and exciting places, being able to experience different cultures and languages.
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Curated by: Kara Gilbert
Date published: 28th January, 2024
This article has been published in good faith, drawing on available data. Please contact kara@kmgcommunications.com.au if you notice any errors or omissions.