The name Valmai Loomes will be well known to the thousands upon thousands of people of who have either participated or been involved with athletics in Wollongong over the last 70 years.
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The Kanahooka resident's parents were among the founding members of the Illawarra Blue Stars Athletics Club, which was formerly known as the Wollongong Blue Stars Women's Athletics Club.
Miss Loomes has been a member of the club since it was founded in 1953. Her involvement has continued to this day on and off the track, serving as a coach and treasurer as well as secretary, a position she has held since 1964.
Miss Loomes has been recognised during the 2023 Australia Day Honours List, awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to athletics.
A 'grateful' Miss Loomes said it had been a pleasure to dedicate probably 70 years of her life to athletics.
"I was a bit of a tomboy when I was young and I liked to run alongside my primary school teacher and I just kept on running and running," she said.
"My parents and some of our neighbours founded the club mainly because we had a lady who was a champion in the 18-yards and she had to go to St George Athletics Club because there was no women's athletic club down here.
"Us kids from Port Kembla Primary School were running after her and going down training with her, so my parents and plus some neighbours formed Wollongong Blue Stars Athletics Club - us kids all joined up and we got going and we used to compete at Wollongong Showground."
Miss Loomes competed until the age of 21 and then turned her attention to the coaching and administration side of track and field.
"I was probably given a great deal of encouragement by some really top-line women officials . They were the ones who talked me into it actually," she said.
"So I took up administration and coaching, and I love it. I get a great challenge from it, probably I get a challenge from it just as much as the athletes too when they improve."
A Life Member of both the Illawarra Blue Stars Athletics Club (1975) and Athletics New South Wales (1996), Miss Loomes has had many highlights over the years.
"I've got to know so many lovely good people. I've got to know some very good top-line athletes around the world such as Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, and Seb Coe to a degree," she said.
"You get to know some very top-line people but highlights would be just to see the satisfaction and enjoyment on an athlete's face if they've improved or done very well.
"Probably a lot of highlights would be to see my athletes go to nationals, represent at national level then international level.
"To be on overseas trip in recent years predominantly with my Masters' athletes has been especially rewarding. To see them succeed and go on to become some of the best athletes in the world, I think that would be one of my best highlights.
"I also enjoy seeing athletes mature, not only as an athlete but as a person."
The OAM comes on the back of a number of fine achievements.
Miss Loomes' other awards include a Distinguished Long Service Award from Sport New South Wales in 2021, in 2006 Athletics Australia presented her with a Platinum Service Award, for 40 yearsof service, and Miss Loomes was presented with a Service Merit Award from Athletics New South Wales, in the 1980s.
Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
