PASSION for the Olympic spirit is what Ballarat’s sporting community first noticed in Ray Weinberg when he moved to town a decade ago. A wonderful gentleman of sport, so well-versed and proud in Australian sporting history, is how the Ballarat Sportsmen’s Club is remembering Weinberg.
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The dual Olympian died at home this week, aged 91.
Weinberg adopted Ballarat as his home with wife of now 68 years Shirley, settling into Buninyong. He quickly found an active and supportive interest in the region’s sport and emerging athletes.
His impact in all levels of sport reached international levels with close friend and Helsinki teammate Marjorie Jackson-Nelson paying tribute to his remarkable contribution in Australian sport.
“His guidance over the years has been greatly appreciated by our up and coming athletes. He was a man of great wisdom, integrity and a proud Australian,” Mrs Jackson-Nelson said. “I pass on my sincere sympathy to Shirley and the family.”
Born Raymond Weinberg in Alexandra in 1926, Weinberg was 21 when he made his Olympic debut in the 1948 London Games. Weinberg reached the semi-finals in the 110-metre hurdles after a five-day plane flight to the United Kingdom with each evening spent on the ground.
In the lead-up to the 2016 Rio Olympics, Weinberg described his London opening ceremony experience to next generation athletes as “what must have been the greatest ovation” for a team.
“The whole assemblage rose to its feet with a mighty roar of appreciation,” Weinberg said. “Weeks of training; day of competition; lifetime of memories.”
Weinberg captured a 110m hurdles silver medal at the 1950 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.
Two years later, Weinberg made the Olympic final in the same event at Helsinki, also running in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. In the same year, Weinberg also clocked the world’s record for the 220-yard hurdles.
Weinberg was a five-time Australian 120-yard hurdles champion and held the Australian 100m hurdles record for 20 years from 1952.
After hanging up the spikes, Weinberg was highly sought for his coaching advice and he returned to the Australian Olympic Team as athletics head coach and manager for the 1968 Games in Mexico City, where his 25-strong team collected seven medals. Weinberg was also a media commentator for the 1964 Tokyo and 1980 Moscow Olympics.
Actively keeping the Olympic spirit alive, Weinberg became a MCG tour guide and was instrumental in creating Australia’s first Olympic team pin.
Weinberg is survived by wife Shirley, children Brett, Michelle and Timothy and four grandchildren.
