Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Marlene Mathews wants the set – a rare distinction that is drawing her to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
Having won two bronze medals 70 years ago in Melbourne, then marched in the opening ceremony at the 2000 Sydney Games, the 92-year-old track and field great aims to complete her Australian Olympics trifecta in six years’ time.
Mathews will among the team members feted in Melbourne on Wednesday at an Australian Olympic Committee dinner to mark the anniversary of the 1956 Games.
“I can’t believe I’m still doing all this. I’ve had a wonderful life – I’ve had a few bumps … but I’ve been very lucky and honoured,” Mathews told AAP.
“There aren’t too many of us left. I’m just looking forward to hoping I can be alive in 2032, but I don’t know.
“I will be nearly 100, I might be in a wheelchair … I’d love to be alive for those.”
Of the 325 members of the Australian ’56 team, Mathews is among the 54 known to be alive.
Australia won 13 gold medals in Melbourne – its biggest Olympic haul until 16 at Sydney 2000.
Mathews has mixed feelings about Melbourne. She said the Games were “incredible” and a real eye-opener, given their naivety about what was happening overseas.
But after winning her 100m heat and semi-final, Mathews had to settle for bronze as Betty Cuthbert claimed gold.
“I always say if I had a fairy godmother, I’d ask her if I could run the final of the 100m again,” said Mathews, who also won bronze behind Cuthbert in the 200m.
“I had the most dreadful, dreadful start – I saw five bottoms in front of me when I left my blocks.
“I was never a really good starter, but I got a dreadful start. When I got to 50m, I thought to myself ‘good heavens above’ – I was so far behind.
“I was lucky to get third. I had enough strength in me to get up. But it was just my bad start.”
Then came the enduring mystery of her non-selection for the 4x100m relay, which Australia won in world record time.
Despite her individual medal haul, the selectors’ justification at the time was that she was “not considered a good relay runner”.
“I don’t know. You tell me,” Mathews said when asked why.
“It hurt very much, at the time. In fact, if I was honest, I will admit in the race when they came up to the final with Betty and the English girl, running neck-and-neck, I’m sitting up in the grandstand with tears pouring down my face.
“Just for one tiny little incy-wincy bit, I said ‘Come on Great Britain’ – only a little moment. But Betty went on and won, Australia broke the world record and it was wonderful.
“I don’t think it affected my life very much, I might have had more invites to dinners, you never know.
“It’s just something I’ve lived with, since 1956. Overall, (Melbourne) was great – it was wonderful.”
Six of the 1956 team travelled to Melbourne for the celebrations, alongside Olympic dignitaries and a swag of other star Australian athletes including skier Jakara Anthony, sprinter Raelene Boyle and swimmers Shane Gould, Ariarne Titmus and Ian Thorpe.
Cuthbert passed away in 2017 while the other “golden girl” of the Games, Dawn Fraser, was unable to attend due to health issues.
Fraser, 89, intends being in Melbourne when the anniversary of the opening ceremony, on November 22, is marked.
