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Wednesday 21 May 2014 Chris Dittmar to chair Australian Masters Games board
South Australian sporting legend Chris Dittmar will chair the advisory board of the 15th Australian Masters Games, ahead of their return to Adelaide in October next year.
Minister for Tourism, Recreation and Sport Leon Bignell made the announcement to celebrate 500 days to go to next year’s Games, which are expected to attract over 10,000 participants across more than 50 sports in what is Australia’s largest multi-sport gathering.
The Games were last in Adelaide in 2011 and the appointment of Dittmar is an early boost to Games preparations.
“Chris is passionate about sport at all levels and will bring a real sense of South Australian community ownership to the Australian Masters Games,” Mr Bignell said.
“Chris is a strong advocate for participation and a positive active lifestyle, but he also brings his immense experience as an athlete at the elite level in addition to his media expertise. It’s a priceless combination in staging major sporting events,” Mr Bignell added.
Dittmar is a former world squash number one and South Australian sports star of the year who continues to make his mark on the South Australian sporting scene through his high profile media roles – currently as the host of MMM’s Rush Hour program alongside Adelaide Crows legend Mark Riciutto.
The pair is moving to the breakfast timeslot in June, which Dittmar admits will allow some extra time to sink his teeth into the Australian Masters Games role.
Dittmar said he was thrilled to accept the invitation to chair the advisory board and he looked forward to commencing the task of creating a great Australian Masters Games.
“It’s never too late to become a Masters athlete and you don’t have to be a superstar to participate,” Dittmar said.
“I’m a terrible golfer and passable cyclist, but for me it’s about continuing my lifelong association with sport, participating with friends and occasionally doing so in a competitive environment so I can re-live the glory days!”
“We have a lot of work to do, but Adelaide is a regular host of the Australian Master Games, so we have a strong starting point. That said, the Games staff are already contemplating initiatives to ensure a fresh and exciting event is staged in 2015.”
“I also encourage South Australian business to get involved early in the preparations and for the South Australian sporting fraternity to join us on the journey to help us stage the best edition of the Games yet,” Dittmar said.
Dittmar will help the South Australian Tourism Commission and Australian Masters Games organising committee general manager Nic Mercer, to identify additional advisory board members who will be announced shortly.
500 days to the Games was also marked by the release of the visual identity for the event, an aspirational design that reflects the Masters Games ethos of ‘sport for all’.
Games organisers also released the target list of sports that are anticipated to be included in the Games.
General Manager Nic Mercer said the application for sports inclusion into the 15th Australian Masters Games will begin shortly with the state and national sporting organisations.
“We expect more than 50 sports to be included in the Games,” Mercer said.
“From athletics, to drill dance, cycling, the football codes, netball, softball, weightlifting, dragon boat and darts, there will be something for everyone and in many cases participants will do more than one sport.”
The draft list of sports that will be targeted for inclusion in the 15th Australian Masters Games can be found here.
“Of course, with so much to see and do in South Australia, it’s not just the sport that our participants, family and friends will come to Adelaide for, but it’s a good place to start,” Mercer added.
The Australian Masters Games is proudly sponsored by the South Australian Tourism Commission through Events South Australia.
Australian Masters Games Snapshot
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Media enquiries regarding the 15th Australian Masters Games can be directed to:
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