Official of the Year: Murray Gaudin

6 October 2021

Official of the Year: Murray Gaudin

David Morrow and Murray Gaudin were bestowed the honour of joint 2021 Athletics NSW officials of the year. Regulars at our competitions, Morrow and Gaudin are key member of the strong Athletics NSW volunteer officials work force.

Morrow’s recognition follows his previous honour of new official of the year in 2014. We profiled him along with wife Katrina Morrow in June that year. Both David and Katrina were high jumpers who reached very high levels in the sport. They returned to the sport when their children responsibilities had eased.

We caught up with Gaudin, who himself was the new official of the year in 2010, for a chat about his journey as an official.

Aths NSW: When and how did you start officiating?

Murray: It all started about 2006 when my children joined Little Athletics on the invitation of a friend to come and try. I started helping late in the 2006 season packing up the equipment at the end of the evening. It then progressed onto place judging. The following year I was invited to place judge at the Little Athletics Zone and Region level under the mentor ship of the (late) Phil Blunt. No photo finish back then. Then - I think - the first LANSW event was the Trans-Tasman trials held at Illawong.

Can you outline your progression as an official?

Murray: At club level I moved from place judging to managing the straight track and then onto the circular track. As we all know this means having two 400’s on track at the same time. Blacktown LAC at that time had 600+ athletes as well as having the Blacktown Seniors run with us on a Friday night. This was my grounding for being a ‘trackee’.

In September 2008, an Athletics NSW representative came to the Little Athletics Officials seminar and did a presentation on the World Masters Athletics Championships being held in 2009. So, in early 2009 I sat the Athletics Australia “C” Grade Track paper. Interestingly, I didn’t think the rules between LANSW and ANSW were that different. I passed – just. This did make me realise I did have a lot to learn. I attended the Masters Championships as a starter’s assistant.

The 2009 / 2010 season was my first officiating for Athletics NSW. Through the season I worked on the start and track teams, learning all the ways of each team. At the end of the season Blacktown Senior Athletics club nominated me for and I received the “New Official of Year” award.

My introduction to photo finish was in the early 2010’s when LANSW purchased a colour Finish Lynx camera system. I attended the training session’s run by Janet Nixon. I remember attending the training at Glenbrook LAC on the Saturday morning and then driving to Wollongong for an afternoon meet.

I was spending time with the Start Team so after passing the safety course and getting my license I procured my first gun. To quote the (late) Bob Ryan – I was in the show pony club. I think this came about because at Glendale I set up the 100m start stand in the middle of the Shot Put sector that he was about to use. Just following instructions from the (late) Victor Marshall.

I did sit and pass my “B” Track Paper and received a far superior mark than my “C” Grade.

Many thanks to the (late) Geoff Martin, Del Warrick, John Morris, Peter Higgins, David Higgins, Janet Nixon and many others on teaching me from the basis’s onwards.

Aths NSW: What officials positions have you held??

Murray: With regards to the track – I think most of them:

Start Referee, Track Referee, Start Area Co-Ordinator, Chief Umpire, Starter, Time Keeper, Finish Line Judge, Umpire, Wind Gauge Operator, Drink Station official etc. Even Photo Finish chief when everyone else was away on National duties.

Aths NSW: What have been the major events you have officiated at?

Murray: Commonwealth Games, New Zealand Nationals, Australian Nationals, Oceania, Youth Olympics, Australian Juniors, Australian Little Athletic Championships, All Schools, Grand Prix’s and Porritt Classic (Hamilton, NZ).

Aths NSW: Why do you officiate?

Murray: It’s fun. I enjoy the company and the common goal of having a successful competition for all. Assisting the athletes to do their best and break their personnel best performances. The sport is interesting because I always learn something new each time I go.

Helping others to gain an appreciation of the track and how it integrates into the whole event.

Aths NSW: Any special moment/s you recall officiating?

Murray: At the Commonwealth Games having to ask the likes of Prince Edward and Usain Bolt at different times to move so I could get pass. The alley way was also used by those presenting and receiving medals. It was about the width of a line on the track.

Running into Nick Hough at the Porritt Classic.

The social gatherings after the event where you can discuss the day’s events and why decisions were made a certain way.

Aths NSW: Away from the track?

Murray: I’ve been working with computers since the 1970’s. I remember in the mid 1990’s, standing in a classroom with 12 Pentium 100 computers and thinking “there is more computing power here than in the main frame computer that produces the billing statements for the nation.

At school I used to play hockey. When I left – I umpired up to national level.

Also had a thing for crewing stage shows eg. Annie, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, King and I, Grease, Les Miserables, Gang Shows (For the Scouts) etc.

Along the way my darling wife and I have collected children, grand children and great grand children. And not necessarily in that order.

Aths NSW: Thanks Murray for your fantastic volunteer service now stretching well over a decade and congratulations on the award.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Murray Gaudin (courtesy of David Tarbotton)