Sunday 25th October, 2009
Olympic Athlete Tony Moore and 5-time Olympian Anthony S. (Tony) Philp were both inducted to the Fiji Sports Hall of Fame last night. At the official dinner, Dr Robin Mitchell and the late JD Maharaj were also honoured with the Fiji Olympic Order.
The Fiji Sports Hall of Fame program was inaugurated in 1990, with 30 of Fiji’s top athletes having been inducted since then. The Fiji Olympic Order was introduced in 2001 to recognise those who make it all possible for our athletes to perform on the world stage. These people are volunteers who have dedicated decades of their lives to sport, often behind the scenes with very little acknowledgement of the enormous effort they put in.
“FASANOC’s Sports Hall of Fame and the Fiji Olympic Order is an opportunity not only to recognise the exceptional performances and selfless services from these athletes and volunteers, but to put them into the history book of Fiji sports” FASANOC President Vidhya Lakhan said in his message to attendees of the dinner.
Photos from the night can be found in our photo gallery here
2009 Hall of Fame Inductees:
Tony Moore
Tony was an extremely talented and successful athlete of the 1970s excelling particularly in the long jump, 100m and 200m over his athletics career, representing Fiji at the South Pacific Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games.
In 1971 Tony became the Fiji National Champion in three disciplines - long jump, 100m and 200m - a crown that he wore through to 1974 and probably would have continued to wear, had he not moved to Australia in 1975.
Tony’s name has been in the Long Jump record books for many years. His Personal Best performance came at the Commonwealth Games in 1974 in Christchurch, New Zealand. Tony’s qualifying Long Jump of 7.65m was a South Pacific record, which remained intact for 25 years, a Fiji National record, which remained for an even more staggering 29 years, and also earned him a spot in the finals. He unfortunately sprained his ankle on the first jump of the final and was carried from the track on a stretcher.
The following year, Tony won Gold in the Long Jump at the 1975 South Pacific Games in Guam with a jump of 7.36m. In poor, wet conditions, Tony somehow managed an impressive leap which set a SPG record that stood for 12 years.
Tony went on to represent Fiji at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games in four events - the 100m, 200m, 400m and Long Jump, reaching the quarter finals in the 200m. He was also chosen to serve as the Chef de Mission for the Games, at just 24 years of age.
Tony retired from competitive athletics in 1977, but his involvement in sport has continued. In 2000 he had the “truly amazing experience” of participating in the Olympic Torch Relay. He continues to speak about sport and the Olympic Movement at schools, hospitals, nursing homes and service clubs and throughout his athletic career Tony demonstrated the Olympic Values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect. In 2008 his interest in writing saw him inducted into the Art of the Olympians museum in Florida, USA as the Museum’s inaugural poet.
For his outstanding achievements in Athletics, FASANOC is proud to induct TONY MOORE into the FIJI SPORTS HALL OF FAME in 2009
Anthony Steven (Tony) Philp
Tony Philp is Fiji’s best known waterman, and has achieved exceptional results on the world stage in sailing, specifically Windsurfing.
He is the only athlete from Fiji to ever become a World Champion – a feat he achieved in the Windsurfer World Championships in 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994. He also finished as the runner-up in the 1989 and 1999 World Championships.
Tony is one of just two Fiji athletes to have been ranked #1 in the world by an International Federation for an individual sport (Vijay Singh is the other) – having reached the top of the International Sailing Federation’s (ISAF) world-ranking list for Olympic class windsurfing in 1997.
Tony was the youngest ever athlete to become a Fiji Champion, a title he assumed when he won the Fiji Windsurfing Championships in 1983 at just 13 years of age. The following year he became the youngest ever Olympic sailor at 15 years of age.
He went on to represent Fiji in Sailing (windsurfing) at five consecutive Olympic Games; Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000. In Sydney he was given the duty of flag bearer for the Fiji team, as the first Fiji athlete to compete in 5 Olympic Games. At both the 1992 and 2000 Games he finished in 10th position overall, Fiji’s best finish at any Olympics to date.
Tony has also competed regionally at the South Pacific Games. He was the Fiji flag bearer at the 1991 SPG in Papua New Guinea and has won a medal in every South Pacific Games from New Caledonia in 1987 to Guam in 1999, when he brought home two Gold medals for Fiji – in both the Men’s Individual and Team Windsurfing events.
Tony’s extraordinary achievements have resulted in him twice being named Fiji Sportsman of the Year – in 1992 and 1994.
For his outstanding achievements in the sport of sailing, FASANOC is proud to induct ANTHONY STEVEN PHILP into the FIJI SPORTS HALL OF FAME in 2009
Fiji Olympic Order Recipients:
Dr Robin Mitchell
Dr Robin Mitchell is one of the most respected sports administrators in the Pacific region and one of very few Fiji Sports Administrators to have achieved recognition at both regional and international levels. He has had an illustrious career as a sportsman, a coach, a doctor and a sports administrator, which has seen him reach unprecedented heights for a Pacific Islander.
Dr Mitchell is the only member of the International Olympic Committee from a Pacific Island nation - a post he has held since 1994, and his election as President of Oceania National Olympic Committees in early 2009 makes him the first Islander to hold this post. He was previously the Secretary General (since 1993), and a Vice President from 1989.
As a medical practitioner, Dr Mitchell held the position of Fiji Team Physician from 1984-1992, and was one of the founding members of the FASANOC Medical Commission in 1985, which he served as Chairman until 1996. He was a member of the ONOC Medical Commission from 1985–1993 and is a former member of the IAAF Medical Commission and the FIH Medical Commission. Dr Mitchell was also a founding Board member of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Dr Mitchell has been a member of the FASANOC Executive since 1985, in the capacity of Secretary General from 1987 - 1996, President from 1997 - 2005, and as the IOC Member in Fiji since then. Dr Mitchell was also the chairman of the Suva 2003 South Pacific Games, which has been hailed as one of the most successful Games staged to date.
In 2003, Dr Mitchell was invested as an Officer of the Order of Fiji for his services to sports.
In addition to these credentials as an administrator, Dr Mitchell has also represented Fiji in Athletics and Hockey and was the National Hockey coach from 1984-1990. He also currently serves as the President of Fiji Hockey, and has done since 2005.
Dr Mitchell has made, and continues to make, a lifetime’s contribution to sports, not only in Fiji but in the wider sphere of sports regionally and internationally. With such a distinguished career and contribution to Fiji sports, FASANOC is proud to confer the FIJI OLYMPIC ORDER to ROBIN MITCHELL
Jitendra Durga (JD) Maharaj
JD Maharaj was without doubt an “Administrator Extraordinaire.” He dedicated close to 40 years of distinguished service to sports at all levels of administration and management with the Fiji Football Association, Suva Soccer Association, FASANOC, Sports Fiji Limited and the 2003 South Pacific Games Organising Committee.
As an administrator of football, JD served the Suva Soccer Association and the Fiji Football Association. During his term of office with the FFA, JD was the driving force that has seen Football rise to be one of the most popular sports in the country.
JD introduced four new tournaments; the Battle of the Giants, Fiji FACT, National Club Championship and the Fiji Cup Challenge, as well as strategic plans which were instrumental in securing the future of Football in Fiji. The schemes he introduced resulted in full time development coaches, training for the sport’s administrators and exposure of local players, coaches, referees and administrators to international competitions. He also guaranteed a solid financial future for Football through asset development, fundraising and sponsorship. JD will also be remembered for creating the historic visit to Fiji by an Indian National Football team for a three match tour whilst he served as the founding CEO for Sports Fiji Limited.
JD’s skills and knowledge as a football administrator were recognised by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), who employed JD for his extensive knowledge of the region’s football associations. JD was also a FIFA qualified Futuro Course Inspector and Match Commissioner.
JD’s outstanding administrative skills were also recognised by FASANOC in his appointment as Chef de Mission for Teams Fiji to the South Pacific Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games. As Chef de Mission of Team Fiji to the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games, he led what was then the largest and most successful Fiji contingent to a Commonwealth Games. JD also served as Chairman of FASANOC’s Selection Justification and High Performance Commissions
JD was the CEO of the 2003 South Pacific Games Organising Committee, which has been widely acknowledged as the biggest in terms of logistics and has been hailed as the most successful Games staged to date. In his role, JD led a massive logistical exercise which included over 5000 athletes and officials from 22 Pacific Island countries, 12 staff members, 300 committee/sub-committee members and over 3000 volunteers. JD must be given due credit for his exceptional work and contribution to the SPG, which were a national triumph.
Whilst JD sadly passed away in 2006, his legacy remains, and FASANOC is proud to posthumously confer the FIJI OLYMPIC ORDER to JITENDRA DURGA MAHARAJ.
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