Ron Clarke

Ronald William Clarke (21 February 1937 – 17 June 2015) was an Australian athlete, writer, and the Mayor of the Gold Coast from 2004 to 2012. He was one of the best-known middle- and long-distance runners in the 1960s, notable for setting seventeen world records.

Early life and family Clarke was born 21 February 1937 in Melbourne, Victoria. He attended Essendon Primary School, Essendon High School (now part of Essendon Keilor College) and Melbourne High School. His brother Jack Clarke and father Tom played Australian rules football in the Victorian Football League with Essendon. He was a qualified accountant.

Athletic career During the 1960s, Clarke won 9 Australian championships and 12 Victorian track championships ranging from 1500 m to .

Ron Clarke (in third place and second from left behind #615) at the 1964 Summer Olympics. At the fore are Billy Mills (722) and Mohammed Gammoudi (615). He won the bronze medal in the 10,000 metre (m) race at the 1964 Summer Olympics when he was upset by Billy Mills, and never won an Olympic gold medal.

In the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, he won silver in the 3-mile event, and in the 1966 Games he won silver medals in the and events.

During a 44-day European tour in 1965, he competed 18 times and broke 12 world records, including the 20,000 m (12.4 miles). On 10 July, at London's White City Stadium, during the 1965 AAA Championships, he became the first man to run 3 miles in under 13 minutes, lowering the world record to 12:52.4. Four days later, in Oslo, he lowered his own 10,000 m world record by 36.2 seconds to 27:39.4, becoming the first man to break the 28 minute barrier.

World records In 1965, Clarke beat the 10,000-metre world record in Turku, Finland, with a time of 28:14.0; however, it was never ratified, as it was said that permission to run was requested too late.

Political career

Clarke was elected mayor of the Gold Coast in 2004, defeating incumbent Gary Baildon. Clarke and his wife, Helen, first came to the Gold Coast for a holiday in 1957. The couple returned almost every year thereafter, and in 1995, after 14 years abroad, mainly in Europe, came back for good. He was re-elected in 2008.

Clarke resigned as Mayor of the Gold Coast on 27 February 2012, when he announced his nomination to run as an independent candidate for the seat of Broadwater in the 2012 Queensland state election. Clarke failed in this campaign, coming fourth and recording only a 4.6% primary vote.

Former Australian Football League CEO Andrew Demetriou stated that Clarke as Mayor of the Gold Coast played a major role in the AFL establishing a new team Gold Coast Suns on the Gold Coast.

In 2011, Clarke was part of the lobbying team that secured the 2018 Commonwealth Games for the Gold Coast, Queensland.

Business career Clarke notably co-founded the Lifestyle fitness club in 1974 with footballer Terry Moore, and it soon became the largest chain of commercial gymnasiums in Australia.

Honours In 1966, Clarke was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) "In recognition of service to athletics".

In 2000, he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for "Significant contribution as a competitor (Athletics)".

In 2001, he was awarded the Centenary Medal for "Distinguished service to the eco-tourism industry".

Awards and recognition 1965 – awarded the Prix Du President by the French Sports Academy 1965 – Helms Award for Australasia 1965 – ABC's Sportsman of the Year 1965 – Track & Field News Male Athlete of the Year 1965 – BBC Sportsman of the Year – Overseas Personality 1965 – World Sportsman of the Year by the International Association of Sports Writers 1985 – inaugural inductee into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame 2000 – inaugural inductee into the Athletics Australia Hall of Fame in 2000. 2022 - Sport Australia Hall of Fame Legend

In 2005, Geelong Athletics honoured Clarke with an athletics meet to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his breaking the world record for the 20,000 metres and his one-hour run at Landy Field in October 1965. This meet is held annually as part of the Athletics Australia National Meet Series.

On 15 March 2006, Ron Clarke was one of the final four runners who carried the Queen's Baton around the MCG stadium during the 2006 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Emil Zátopek had great respect for Ron Clarke. In 1966 (often erroneously noted as 1968), he invited the Australian to Czechoslovakia, and as a parting gift he gave him his 1952 Olympic 10,000-metre gold medal with the following words: "Not out of friendship but because you deserve it."

Death Clarke died of kidney failure on 17 June 2015 at Allamanda Hospital in Southport, Queensland. Clarke is survived by his wife Helen and sons Marcus and Nicolas. His daughter Monique died of breast cancer in 2009.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten paid tribute to Clarke in Parliament on the day of his death by stating that a great Australian had been lost with his death. Herb Elliott, an Australian 1500-metre Olympic gold medallist, said "Ron was a great man. His contribution to athletics was enormous. He was also a wonderful contributor to public health through lifestyle programs and gymnasiums and the communities in which he lived. Ron will be greatly missed". Frank Shorter, the 1972 Olympic marathon gold medallist, said: "Ron Clarke was my idol. I grew up seeing Ron Clarke in the dark blue singlet with the V on it – to me that was the symbol of running."