Olympic spotlight: Meet our athletic heroes

Graham Johnson, canoeist

Graham Johnson, now a resident at The Little Bay Apartments in NSW, represented Australia at the 1972 Olympics in Munich in the K2 1000m canoeing event. He remembers his time competing at the Olympics, “When I was representing my country, I felt excitement, I wanted to win for my country but I didn’t put myself under pressure to win, I just wanted to give it my best shot. It was a proud moment to represent your country and win. We qualified to the semi finals in the Olympics, and can you imagine not making it to the finals because we got beaten by a 100th of a second? It was disappointing, but we did our best.”

Graham continued winning many titles before he retired from competitive paddling in 1976. After which he took on the role of President of the Australian Canoe Federation (ACF) from 1977 to 1985. During his time as president, he organised the first-ever National ACF Conference in Canberra in 1985, which brought together all the state member associations to chat about paddling. His hard work and dedication earned him life membership in the ACF that same year.

Graham was also key in making canoeing a full-time sport at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). Thanks to his talks with the Australian Sports Commission, the AIS Canoe Unit opened on the Gold Coast on April 21, 1989.

Having led an active life and at 80, Graham continues to lead his life on his terms. Retirement life suits him as he gets to stay active with all the amenities in the village and the surrounding area. Located close to the beach and a golf course, he goes for a swim in the morning at the nearby Maroubra Beach, he is a life member of Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club, where he loves to interact with younger people. Graham also has a plaque on the Australian Surfing Walk of Fame on The Promenade at Maroubra Beach, to recognise his achievements in canoeing and Surf Life Saving. He also plays golf at the Coast Golf Club nearby and he loves the community life at the Little Bay Apartments. Graham and his wife Pauline say it is the best decision they ever made moving to this retirement village. 

Robyn Rainey, Olympic torch bearer

Robyn Rainey was thrilled to take part in the Sydney Olympics torch relay in 2000. She had always been a big part of her community, teaching scripture and choir at schools like Mimosa, managing children’s soccer teams and volunteering at local events. While she wasn’t a sportsperson, her passion for helping others led several schools and her husband to nominate her for the honour.

She remembers it to be an unforgettable experience as she started her walk from the Baptist Church at Altona Road to Forest Way along Warringah Road in New South Wales on the big day. The streets were packed with cheering crowds, including many school kids she had taught. Their cheers and placards as she handed the torch to a yachtsman made her beam with pride.

Robyn credits her success to her positive outlook and the incredible support from her family, friends and church group. Having lived in the area for 57 years, she felt lucky to be surrounded by such a supportive community. The torch relay was a humbling experience, showing her how everyone can come together and share the same excitement, regardless of cultural, age or race differences. 

Nowadays, Robyn is still as dedicated as ever. She continues to teach scripture, play the piano for her church and at Glenaeon retirement village where she lives, and make cumquat marmalade for market day events. Her commitment to her community remains the same and living in the retirement village has given her the opportunity to stay active, volunteer and work for the community.

Frank Roberts, Olympic torch bearer

Frank fondly recalls his time as a torch bearer for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, describing it as a "wonderful experience." His journey to this honour began much earlier, when he was a passionate sailor. In 1992, while out on Port Phillip Bay in Victoria, Frank suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage—a serious brain bleed. He was rushed to Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital for critical surgery and thankfully, made a full recovery. As a gesture of gratitude, Frank volunteered at the hospital, where he helped establish a neurosurgery support group. The team visited patients to share their recovery stories, offering hope and support and assisting the medical staff.

This remarkable work led to Frank being chosen as one of the 11,000 torchbearers for the Olympics, representing Alfred Hospital. At 69, Frank proudly donned his Olympic uniform and ran 400 meters with the torch. The experience was very meaningful, making him feel deeply connected to the world. "It stays with you," he says, cherishing the torch, the shirt and countless photographs as lasting mementos of that special moment. At 92, Frank is now enjoying his time living in Glenaeon village.

Harold Mayo, swimmer

In 1941, at the age of 14, Harold began his swimming journey at the Maitland Amateur Swimming Club, New South Wales. Over the years, he became a skilled swimmer, with breaststroke being his forte. He not only excelled in swimming but also represented Maitland in water polo, winning numerous club and country championships in breaststroke.

Harold broke records in the state senior breaststroke in 1945 and again in 1946. In 1946, he was selected for the 1948 London Olympic Games training squad. During the Olympic trial, a memorable incident occurred that would change the course of his career. Having not swum competitively for five years, Harold arrived at the trial with his old trunks, the kind with straps, which were no longer regulation. A friend suggested he wear a more modern pair of trunks, and let Harold borrow his. As he competed in the race, he was a good yard ahead of his competitors, including Terry Gathercole, who would later be selected for the 1960 Olympics games. But as Harold pushed off for the last lap, his borrowed trunks slipped down to his knees, forcing him to stop. Despite this setback, Harold's swimming career didn't end there. He continued to swim throughout his life, competing in the Trans-Tasman Games in New Zealand in 2004 and the World Master Games in Sydney in 2009. Now, at 97 he lives in Ashton Gardens, NSW and still swims in the summer.

Alan Morley, Riding for the Disabled Association coach

Inspired by his love for horses, Alan Morley retired from a competitive work environment to join the Australia Light Horse reenactment troop at Woombye, a rural town in Queensland and participate in parades, sporting events and school visits. His journey with horses took a new turn when he saw an ad from Palmwood Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) seeking helpers. Alan signed up as a side walker and horse handler, eventually moving to Gympie where he was introduced to carriage driving by another horse handler.

Along with two other coaches, Alan trained hard and passed their final test under the scrutiny of an examiner from Tasmania. They began competing against other RDA centres and quickly found success. Their skills caught the attention of the Australian Carriage Driving Association, leading them to compete in the Open QLD Driving Championship and eventually the National Show Driving Championship in Caboolture in 2004. There, Alan's driving partner was Darren, a young man who had been severely disabled because of a car accident. But the team amazed international judges, earning first prize ribbons for their unique inclusion of disabled drivers with coaches.

Alan's achievements didn't stop there. He won the Gentleman Driver title at a popular country meeting, defeating seasoned professional drivers. His philosophy? A can-do attitude, persistent training and humility in both victory and defeat. When asked what he loved most about being a coach, he says "The people we dealt with at the RDA could never drive a car but they could drive a carriage and that made them feel more confident which is very satisfying." Now settled in Bellflower Retirement Resort, Queensland, Alan remains active in his community. He plays croquet, teaches ukulele and participates in the community garden. He believes in the power of community living and encourages others to get involved, start new activities and never let limitations define them - and retirement living helps him achieve that.

Denzel and Julie, kayaking

True partners in crime — or sport — Denzil and Julie Nash share a deep passion for water sports and running clubs. The couple has competed both individually and as a team in many competitions. Their active lifestyle reached a pinnacle in 1990 when they competed and won in the Masters Games in kayaking, a significant highlight in their lives. They recall the race conditions being so challenging that many competitors withdrew, making their victory even more memorable. Another standout moment was Julie's triumph in her first sea race, where she won a medal and became the first in her family to achieve such a feat.

Denzil and Julie owe their success to their adventurous spirit, love of the outdoors and social nature. They’ve always been passionate about water sports, diving into kayaking, canoeing and dragon boat racing. The biggest highlights of their sports careers have been the lessons they learned - the importance of getting involved and giving back to the community. "Those lessons have really stuck with us and shaped our lives. We really enjoyed the social side of these sports, whether we were competing together or on our own. Our passion for water sports inspired us to start our own kayaking club, which even attracted Olympians."

They have continued to lead their active lives at Bellflower Retirement Resort. They both like living there because of the security and convenience, letting them travel without worrying about upkeep. At the village, Julie enjoys pool, Zumba and physio classes. They also love the village’s health and wellbeing activities which help them stay active. 

Val Worrell, hammer thrower

Val Worrell has always been an athlete at heart. Her journey began at 15 as a runner, but her path took an unexpected turn when she gave discus throwing a try at a national competition and broke a Victorian record, surprising everyone, including herself. Realising her strength lay in throwing, Val focused on a career as a discus thrower, winning numerous awards.

But life had other plans. In April 1956, Val got married, and while she was on her honeymoon, she was picked for the Olympic training squad. But she found out that she was pregnant which meant she couldn’t take part in the Games. Ever the athlete, while raising her three children, Val shifted her focus from heavy sports to tennis and squash, competing fiercely in both. She also became a gym instructor and worked at Monash University in Sports and Recreation in Melbourne, serving as secretary to all their sporting clubs and teaching fitness classes.

At 55, a suggestion to try hammer throwing for the World Masters Games reignited her competitive spirit. Despite initial fears, Val took up the challenge, trained hard and her efforts paid off with numerous awards in Australia and globally. She even had the honour of being the flag bearer for the Sacramento Games in the USA.

Val continued to compete until her 80s, but a bad fall eventually forced her to stop. Over her illustrious career, she won 216 gold, 34 silver, and 18 bronze medals, including the Australian Masters Athletics. Now, at 89, Val still lifts weights and enjoys playing golf, snooker and bowls, continuing her love for sport and fitness. Having lived in Waterford Park in Melbourne for the past 15 years, Val says this was the best move she ever made. She is active, loves the community and has the freedom to be as involved as she wants to be in the various activities and amenities in the village.

Bette, Shooter

Bette was a world champion shooter. She recalls she couldn’t compete in a sport that was physically demanding because she was asthmatic, so she found her calling in shooting – a sport that required sharp mental acuity. She had four guns that she used for different categories in the shooting complex. 

One of her most memorable moments was representing Australia in the World Pistol Championships at Wiesbaden, Germany in 1966. Upon arrival, Bette and her team were informed they had the wrong type of guns. After a few anxious days, they were finally allowed to use their own guns. Despite the setback, Bette won a silver medal. She had also won a silver medal in the Australian Championship in 1965. In the mid 60s, Bette joined the state judging panel for the Sports Star of the Year award and continued in the role for a further 10 years. Her career has always been guided by the philosophy, "Always aim to be the best you can be" and she has continued applying that in her personal life too.

Bette, now 99 years old, lives in Vermont Estate in South Australia and enjoys her time in the village interacting with the residents and staff.

At Keyton, it's not just the residents who shine, the staff are also exceptional. A world champion cyclist who is as sporty as he is professional.

Tirian McManus, cyclist

Photo credit: Getty Images

Tirian McManus began his cycling journey at just nine years old and pursued it passionately until his career ended in 2017 at 23. Supported by his family, Tirian traveled the world representing Australia, starting his professional career in 2012 with a Junior World Championship win in the Teams Pursuit and a third-place finish in the Omnium event. Over the years, he claimed three World Cup titles and participated in major road races across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Due to the sport's demanding nature, requiring intense training and resilience in the face of injuries, Tirian's Olympic dreams were shattered in 2015 when he fractured his ankle. The injury required extensive surgery and six months of rehabilitation. Although he recovered to compete in the 6 day series in Europe in 2016, a crash on the final day in Berlin led to a broken collarbone and another surgery. This incident put an end to his cycling career. However when asked about his most memorable moment, he says it was winning the World Cup Omnium event in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2014 in a stadium filled with over 2,000 spectators. 

Reflecting on his journey, Tirian feels blessed for the opportunities he had and the lessons learned, including the importance of perseverance and adaptability. Transitioning from a professional cyclist to a residential real estate agent, he now thrives as a member of the Community Connect team at Keyton.

For more information about the lifestyle and support offered at our retirement villages, call our customer service team on 1800 550 550 or send us an email here.

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