Put it in your diary now, it will be a day not to be missed.
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Saturday, September 3, will be the day to be in the Wollongong CBD. It promises to be huge.
It was already going to be a significant day in the Illawarra events calendar with the much anticipated H&M open for its first weekend and the heats of the popular Illawarra’s Next Top Model competition.
Those two things would have dragged a crowd alone.
Yet now there will be an extra reason to be in the city of Wollongong next Saturday morning.
There will be a public celebration of our Rio Olympians in the Wollongong mall and it’s a great chance for the kids of this region to see some of their local heroes.
The Welcome Home for Our Olympic Athletes is an initiative of the Illawarra Pilot Joint Organisation and is a partnership with Wollongong City Council, the Illawarra Academy of Sport, the Illawarra Mercury and WIN TV.
Wollongong’s Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery will make a special presentation to at least two of our three Olympic gold medallists – swimmer Emma McKeon and rugby sevens duo Nicole Beck (pictured) and Emma Tonegato.
The event will also celebrate the achievements of other athletes who represented the Illawarra-Shoalhaven-Highlands in Rio including:
- Aaron Royle – Triathlon – Wollongong
- Blake Govers – Hockey – Wollongong
- Caitlin Foord – Football – Shellharbour
- Casey Sablowski – Hockey – Albion Park
- David McKeon – Swimming – Wollongong
- Grace Stewart – Hockey – Gerringong
- Jarrod Poort – Swimming – Warilla
- Madeline Hills – Athletics – Shellharbour
- Michelle Heyman – Football – Shellharbour
- Ryan Bailie – Triathlon – Wollongong
- Ryan Gregson – Athletics – Mt Warrigal
- Shane Rose – Equestrian – Berry
- Sue Hearn – Equestrian – Berrima.
It will also pay tribute to our two Paralympic basketballers Brett Stibners and Shawn Russell, who will be competing in Rio.
Given the large number of events in the city on the day the Wollongong City Council is advising people to take public transport where possible.
The Illawarra Mercury will publish a special poster to commemorate our 2016 Olympians from the region in next Saturday’s edition.
Come along and join in the celebration.
