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Thread: Farwell Bill Roycroft

  1. #1
    triplev123
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    Farwell Bill Roycroft

    The Equestrian crew's A.D Turnbull.
    One of the all-time greats this bloke. Like A.D, Bill Roycroft was made from Carbon Steel & Concrete.

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    Equestrian champion Bill Roycroft, a five-time Olympian, has died at Camperdown in Victoria's south-west.

    Roycroft, who was Australia's oldest surviving Olympian, won gold in the three-day event at the 1960 Rome Olympics at the age of 45.
    It was a remarkable feat after he was initially considered unable to compete in the final round after breaking his collarbone in a fall in the steeplechase.
    But when other team members were unable to compete, Roycroft famously signed himself out of hospital against doctors' orders and completed the final round flawlessly.
    He died on Sunday aged 96.
    Equestrian Australia has hailed Roycroft as an equestrian legend and pioneer of the sport.
    "His family's contribution to the sport of equestrian is unprecedented," Equestrian Australia chief executive Grant Baldock said.
    "He was a legend. The term does get thrown out lightly at different times, but he was certainly a legend in our sport and Australian sport.
    "He was one of the pioneers for what we have today in our sport in Australia."
    Baldock said there was "no way" the Australian team would have won the Rome gold medal if Roycroft had not checked himself out of hospital.
    The Australian Olympic Committee says he competed in four more Olympics, winning team bronze in 1968 and 1976. He also carried the Australian flag at the Mexico City opening ceremony in 1968.
    In 2000, Roycroft was one of the eight people chosen to carry the Olympic flag into the Sydney opening ceremony.
    Before his death, Roycroft had been in hospital for just over a week, suffering an undisclosed illness.
    He was still involved in the sport, with his sons Wayne and Barry and daughter-in-law Vicki looking to their dad for advice up until his death.
    Bill Roycroft had attended a one-day event in his home town at Camperdown last month.
    - ABC/AAP

  2. #2
    Flashing Red
    Guest
    RIP What a champ.

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