Denis has held various positions in ACT and National sport ranging from ACT Athletics, ACT Olympic Council, Athletics Australia, Olympic and Commonwealth Games teams.
As a registered member of the ACT Athletic Association for 25 years, Denis Wilson served as President of the Association from 1976 through to 1985. During this time Denis occupied numerous roles with the Association in local, national and international arenas. Even though
Denis played a major role in the international arena with Athletics Australia and the International Amateur Athletics Federation, he still maintained his involvement and support at the grass roots through ACT Athletics and his own club Weston Creek.
On his arrival in late 1973, Denis was approached by the NSW Athletic Association to assist in the organisation of the 1977 Pacific Conference Games as Deputy Chairman of the Organising Committee.
This was the first international athletic competition to be conducted in the ACT and was part of the reason that Bruce Stadium was developed.
In 1980 the ACT branch of the NSW Athletic Association achieved it’s lifetime plan of autonomy from NSW and being recognised by Athletics Australia as a State Association, an achievement in which Denis, a former NSW athlete played a key role. Denis, as Chairman of the Technical Organising Committee is credited for the success of the 1977 Pacific Conference Games and the 1985 World Cup.
ACT Athletics received international recognition for the conduct of these games with many athletes at the time claiming they were the best run international meets they had been to.
As an athlete, Denis was an outstanding middle distance runner who narrowly missed breaking the 4-minute mile. In 1959, Denis teamed up with Melbourne’s John Murray and the legendary Alby Thomas and Herb Elliot to set a World Record time of 16.25.6 for the 4 x 1 mile relay, running on a cinders track in Melbourne on the 22nd of March.
Denis has maintained active involvement in athletics at the local, national and international level. At the time of induction he was the ACT Delegate to Athletics Australia and has been made a life member of ACT Athletics and Athletics Australia.
ATHLETICS
Born: 4 January 1936
Inducted: 1998
Associate Member