At 92, Dick Garrard is Australia's oldest living Games athlete and one of our true sporting legends. Like the Anzac heritage, Dick's story should be shared by all Australians.

Dick was one of Australia's most successful sports people of all time. He first represented Australia in the Empire Games in 1934 in London and was selected 22 years later for his fourth Olympic Games. As with the greatest champions, he has inspired people beyond competition, through a lifetime of quiet achievement.

He represented Australia in 4 Commonwealth (Empire) Games - London 1934, Sydney 1938, Auckland 1950 & Vancouver 1954 and his 4 Olympic Games were Berlin 1936, London 1948, Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956. In all, Dick represented Australia at 14 Commonwealth Games and 14 Olympic Games as either a competitor, official or member of the FILA Bureau (World Wrestling Association).

At the Commonwealth Games he won gold medals in 1934, 1938 and 1950, with a silver in 1954. In 1936 he competed in his first Olympic Games and met Adolf Hitler at the opening ceremony. He won silver at the 1948 London Olympics and was presented to the Royal Family at Buckingham Palace. Dick won all the Australian titles between 1930 and 1956 and had been unbeaten for 25 years when selected for the Melbourne Olympics in 1956 at the age of 45.

Dick's amazing career record stands at 525 bouts, 516 wins and only 9 losses.

Awarded an MBE in 1970 and an OBE 1977, Dick was awarded an Australian Sports Medal in 2000 by the Australian Government for his lifetime service to Wrestling. He currently lives with his wife Joan in Belmont, Victoria, has 3 children and 6 grandchildren.

In 2002, a Commonwealth Games year, we celebrate Dick's achievements and hope that all Australians can be inspired by his story.