The ranks of the Western Australian Hall of Champions will swell by three this evening when Australian Rules Footballer Sammy Clarke, cyclist Darryn Hill and golfer Maxine Bishop are all inducted at the 25th Western Australian Institute of Sport Annual Dinner.
Clarke, Hill and Bishop will become the 114th, 115th and 116th members of the Hall respectively, joining the likes of middle distance runner Herb Elliott, sprinter Shirley de la Hunty, swimmer Lyn McKenzie and cricketer Dennis Lillee. Hill and Bishop will both beon hand to accept their awards from the Minister for Sport and Recreation, the Hon. Terry Waldron, whilst the late Clarkewill berepresented by his grandson Simon Clarke.
Clarke will be inducted for his efforts in being the first person to win the coveted Sandover Medal, as the best player in the WAFL, twice. He won his first Sandover as a 19-year old in 1933 before doing the same again in 1934. During both medal winning seasons he played centre-half-back for a struggling Claremont-Cottesloe (later Claremont) outfit. TragicallyClarke died at the age of 30 whilst flying a mission as an RAAF pilot in New Guinea in 1942.
Hill is to be recognised for his achievements as a world class cyclist on the track, the highlight being his 1995 world sprint champion crown. An explosive track rider, he won a silver medal the previous year as well as bronze medals in the same event at the 1996 and 1997 world championships.The cyclist was also amember of the team sprint combination that won the world title in 1996 before going on to win a bronze medal in that event at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.
Bishop will be honoured for her record as Western Australia’s finest female amateur golfer. She was the first WA golfer (male or female) to win an Australian amateur championship (in 1951) and was the first Australian woman to win an overseas tournament. Bishop was also the State women’s champion 11 times.
