Club History

Founded in 1878, the Sydney University Athletics Club is one of the oldest in Australia. Along with the University Football and Cricket Clubs, in 1890 SUAC was one of the foundation clubs for the University Sports Union.

Two years later in 1892 travelling to Melbourne a band of intrepid athletes competed in what has been recognised as the first Australian Intervarsity match against Melbourne University. While being overcome by their hosts on the track the Sydneymen more than held their own in the social stakes. A century on, and competing at the first Australian University Games in Perth in 1992 SUAC were able to avenge that earlier loss with an emphatic win.

SUAC has had a long and proud history both on and off the track. Over the last 125 years the club has produced many Australian representatives, including the first Australian to hold an athletics world record, Nigel Barker (who ran a 48.5s 440y in 1906). Among the most illustrious is Jack Metcalfe. Jack went into the 1936 Berlin Olympics as the world record holder in the triple jump. At a camp in the lead up to the games Jack provided some coaching to two athletes from Japan. They went on to finish one-two relegating Jack to third. Metcalfe also showed his versatility in the years either side of the games winning national medals in long jump, high jump and javelin.

Of the same vintage SUAC saw former try scoring Wallaby back rower Myer Rosenblum turn his talents to the hammer throw. He notched up a Commonwealth record and went on to finish fifth at the 1938 Empire Games. Until his passing last year Myer served many years as the club's much beloved patron.

One of Myer's team-mates in 1938 was Paul Magee. He finished sixth in the 440 yard hurdles. Paul started something of a dynasty in the all white. His daughter Deidre competed for the women's club with distinction and in one of many alliances between the two clubs married Pat Greene. Pat among his many achievements picked up a NSW long jump title, was a highly regarded President of the club and is now a warmly appreciated Senior Vice President of the club. Keeping up the family tradition Pat and Deidre's son Paul, a sometime competitor in the all white went on to make two Commonwealth Games teams, his best result a fourth placing in the 400m in 1994. He also competed at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Sitting along side Pat in the ranks of the club's Vice Presidents is 1974 Commonwealth high jump champion Gordon Windeyer.

Sydney Uni's women have also provided an abundance of Australian representatives, with the likes of Betty Moore, Cheryl Peasley, later Collins (Commonwealth Games 1970, Olympic Games 1972), Angela Cook (Commonwealth Games 1974, 1978), Rachel Thompson (World race Walking Championships 1983) all wearing the green and gold.

While SUAC has a long and proud history, the recent past has also included success and there has always been an eye to the future. The last 15 years has included a string of strong performances at the Australian University Games (with wins for the both men's and women's teams, including a string of six in a row from 1992-1997 by the women) and more recently the NSW Club Championships, which the men have taken out for the past four years.

However easily the most significant event of the club's recent history occurred in the Grandstand Bar in May 2002. At the Club's Annual General Meeting it was decided to finally amalgamate the Men's and Womens's clubs (which had been run as separate entities until that time), and end a history of administrative separation.

The club has always placed a premium on team spirit, exemplified by it's commitment to relays, singing and celebrating after success or failure. With this strong sense of history, culture and camaraderie the club will continue to offer the young, and not so young, much more than just a singlet and a place to run, jump or throw.

Myer Rosenblum

As some of you my be aware, our club patron of 10 years, Myer Rosenblum, sadly passed away on Thursday, April 18 2002, aged 95.

Myer was often described as a 'renaissance man', a fitting description for someone who was not only an exceptional sportsman but an outstanding musician; successful lawyer; linguist and Latin scholar. It could also be said that Myer was a true 'Sydney Man'. Through his humour, passion for life and deeds on and off the track, Myer in many ways embodied the spirit of the club. Appointed in 1992, he proved to be a terrific SUAC patron.

Myer was perhaps most famous for his deeds on the rugby field. In 1928, aged 21, he represented Australia on a successful tour of New Zealand, scoring two tries in the first Test.

Having achieved national representation in one sport, Myer decided it was time to try his hand at another ? the hammer throw. It was an event that proved to his liking. By 1930 he won the first of several State titles; subsequently broke the Australian record and ultimately represented Australian in the 1938 Empire Games. Along the way he won a Blue for his SUAC efforts, represented an Australian Universities team, as well as chairing the NSW AAA Council - at the ripe old age of 24.

Myer's success on the sporting field did nothing to quell the other passions in his life, one of which was music. Winning a scholarship to the Sydney Conservatorium, Myer came top of the class in Composition in his first year. With his wife Lyla, Myer founded Australian Concerts and Artists, which organised tours by prominent overseas musicians. Myer had by then switched from the bassoon to the piano. Myer was also first secretary of Sydney Musica Viva and a member of the Great Synagogue Choir.

As in most areas of his life, Myer did not fail to make an impact on his chosen profession, the law. Having founded his well-known Sydney law firm M Rosenblum and Co in the 1930's, Myer's policy had been to employ only law graduates who had played rugby or athletics. In 1959, he made an exception for a young man named John Howard.

Unable to find a law firm that would accept him for his articles, young John's anxious mother called Myer to ask if he would take on her son. As Howard senior was a client, Myer agreed, and the two became lifelong friends, in spite of Myer's preference for the Labor Party. Howard later described him as a terrific teacher and "one of the great characters that I've met in my life". M Rosenblum and Co continues to this day under Myer's son Rupert.

With a natural intellectual curiosity, Myer was extremely widely read and became quite renowned for his scholarship. A broadcaster quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald obituary described Myer as one of the three true intellectuals he had met in his lifetime, the other two being Gough Whitlam and Francis James. His knowledge of literature and music was considered encyclopaedic and he spoke French, German (both self taught), Yiddish and Latin.

Myer's other life achievements are almost too numerous to mention. As if music, literature, law, language and grooming future Prime Ministers weren't enough to keep him busy, Myer was also a talented tennis player, winning the White City doubles competition; President of the NSW Amateur Athletic Association, and patron or adviser to numerous Jewish, community and sporting organisations such as SUAC. In 2001 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to sport, particularly rugby, hammer throwing and the Maccabi movement.

Following his appointment as Patron Myer soon became a popular figure whose warmth, wit and humour endeared him to everyone.

Myer's obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald was aptly entitled "A gentleman, a sportsman and a scholar". An outstanding Patron, VP's legend and a true 'Sydney Man', he is fondly remembered and greatly missed.