Congratulations to Stuart Rendell who will be inducted into this years Roll of Excellence in the Track & Field Category.
Stuart Rendell is a former Little Athlete and 10 times Australian Hammer Throw Champion and two times Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist. Stuart also competed in the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games as well as 4 times at the World Athletics Championships. Since retiring Stuart has carved out a career as a school teacher within the ACT where his enthusiasm and happy go lucky nature inspires the children he interacts with.
Stuart Rendell began Little Athletics in the Under 6 age group in 1977/78 at what is now the Belconnen Little Athletics Centre in the ACT. Stuart participated in Little Athletics right through until Little Athletics concluded where he then embarked on his Junior and Senior career. All along, Stuart favoured the throwing events but stated that, as it was back in those days, he participated in all of the events each week. Stuart freely admits the distance events weren’t to his liking.
Stuart enjoyed the camaraderie of Little Athletics and hanging out with his mates throughout his whole Little Athletics journey and cited this as a major contributing factor in developing a love for the sport of Track and Field.
His highlight from a competitive perspective in Little Athletics was achieving 2 bronze medals at the ACT Championships in the Under 12 age group for the discus and the long Jump. Stuart still recalls his leap of 4.88m.
Once Little Athletics concluded Stuart participated in the local ACT Athletics scene, competing regularly on Saturdays during the Summer Series and throughout the school seasons.
Stuart Rendell is a dual Olympian in hammer throw, having competed at the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Olympic Games, with his best result being 26th in Athens. Stuart also competed at the 1998, 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games, winning gold in Kuala Lumpur (1998) and Melbourne (2006).
Stuart competed for the Combined Universities Athletics Club in Canberra and was a scholarship holder at the Australian Institute of Sport. Stuart had the good fortune of working with some fantastic coaches and teams over his career, and speaks very fondly of the 10 seasons that he spent for two months of the year abroad training, travelling and competing with the legendary throws coach Pal Nemeth and his entourage of Hungarian throwers. Stuart enjoyed associations with the who’s who of Australian Athletics throwing community including Sue Howland, Nigel Martin and John Minns.
When pressed for a competitive highlight of his athletics career, Stuart stated that winning the Commonwealth Games Gold Medal in Melbourne 2006 was his absolute highlight. In a perfect cocktail he got redemption for his disappointment in 2002 (he still finished a credible 4th), as well as having his family and all who supported him there to share with him in what was his crowning achievement. He also shared this special moment at the MCG with his now wife Kerrie Perkins who jumped a Silver Medal on the same night.
Stuart concluded his career with an 8th place finish in the World Cup of Athletics. In addition to a splendid international career it should be noted that Stuart won the Australian Championships an impressive 10 times in the Hammer Throw and finished 2nd on one occasion. He also was a silver medalist in the under 20 age group in the Discus.
Another achievement of Stuart’s that is not widely known is a handicap 200m race in Canberra in 1995 that coincided with LAA Roll of Excellence inductee Darren Clark’s return to Track and Field from a sabbatical in rugby league. Stuart went outside of his comfort zone and utilized his handicap, racing away to a victory over one of Australia’s greatest ever sprinters.
Stuart’s achievements at a National and International level are listed below.
International Competition Results
| Event | Position | Result |
| 1997 World Championships | 17/43 | Qual 74.28m |
| 1998 Commonwealth Games | 1/11 | 1st 74.71m |
| 1999 World Championships | 36/38 | Qual 67.55m |
| 2000 Olympic Games | 28/44 | Qual 72.78m |
| 2001 World Championships | 19/32 | Qual 75.00m |
| 2002 Commonwealth Games | 4/9 | 4th 67.51m |
| 2003 World Championships | 10/26 | Qual 76.56m; Final 10th 75.72m |
| 2004 Olympic Games | 25/35 | Qual 72.61m |
| 2006 Commonwealth Games | 1/13 | 1st 77.53m |
| 2006 World Cup | 8/9 | 8th 71.99m |
National Competition Results
| Event | Position | Results |
| 1991-92 Aust. Junior T & F | 2 | 45.98m- Discus Throw |
| 1994-95 Aust. T & F | 2 | 67.32m |
| 1995-96 Aust. T & F | 2 | 72.32m |
| 1996-97 Aust. T & F | 1 | 75.90m |
| 1997-98 Aust. T & F | 1 | 71.30m |
| 1998-99 Aust. T & F | 1 | 70.79m |
| 1999-00 Aust. T & F | 1 | 74.71m |
| 2000-01 Aust. T & F | 1 | 77.76m |
| 2001-02 Aust. T & F | 1 | 78.80m |
| 2002-03 Aust. T & F | 1 | 76.61m |
| 2003-04 Aust. T & F | 1 | 77.40m |
| 2004-05 Aust. T & F | 1 | 74.35m |
| 2005-06 Aust. T & F | 1 | 76.33m |
It is not a widely known fact, but as a part of his training regime for the hammer throw, Stuart competed in the NSW Weight Lifting Championships where he won multiple Championships in various disciplines.
Post retirement Stuart embarked on a teaching career within the ACT, starting at Miles Franklin Primary School, moving to Garran and then Calwell Primary Schools.
Stuart also enjoyed assisting his wife Kerrie with her career post retirement as she continued to compete for a number of years. Stuart and Kerrie married in 2015 and currently live on a farm in Tarago, approx. 30 minutes out of Canberra where they have a herd of cattle and enjoy living in a peaceful rural community.
Stuart also became actively involved in road cycling in his post competitive career with a highlight of his cycling endeavours being a charity ride for lifeline from Sydney to Canberra, a journey of almost 300km.
Stuart was known as a character of the Australian athletics scene, with an easy going disposition and friendly nature. These are characteristics he has applied successfully in his teaching career where he is currently inspiring the next generation to be the best they can be in their pursuits.
The 2019 Roll Of Excellence will be held at Aloft Perth on 19th October 2019.
| Pre Dinner Drinks | 6:30pm – 7:00pm (Aloft Perth) |
| Dinner and Awards | 7:00pm – 11:00pm (Aloft Perth) |
| Location | The Springs, 27 Rowe Ave, Rivervale WA 6103 |
| Host | Melinda Gainsford Taylor |
| Dress Code | Lounge Suit |
Coles Little Athletics Australia acknowledges and pays respect to all traditional custodians of the lands of which we work, run, jump and throw throughout Australia. We pay respect to elders both past, present and emerging.
We are committed to a positive future for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and to honor their ongoing cultural and spiritual connections to this country and recognize the role and value of culture.
