ATHLETICS COACH

VALE JOHN ATTERTON
With the passing of John Atterton on 22 November, Athletics Australia bids farewell to a
respected Life Member and one of its most passionate and devoted coaches.
News of John’s battle with motor neurone disease only became broadly known within
the athletics community in the final weeks of his life. It therefore leaves most of the
Australian athletics family with a picture of a colleague in his 82nd year, still active in
coaching and inspiring athletes of all levels towards the achievement of their next goal.
But John’s involvement in athletics extended well beyond his love of and commitment to
coaching.
He was a high achieving athlete himself – winning the 1957 and 1958 New South Wales
state titles and the silver medal at the 1962 Australian championships in the 3000m
steeplechase.
John also ran as a professional – becoming the Australian one mile and two miles
champion in the then divided sport. He enjoyed success in army and inter-service
competition at both 880 yards and the mile. His love of running continued on, becoming
masters’ 800 and 1500 metres champion at Oceania level.
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