It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Bob Lay AM early on Friday 5th August. Although he had been ill for quite some time, his passing is still a shock.
Bob joined the Rotary Club of Berwick in 2011 and was an active member in many projects and as a Board member, until his health deteriorated in 2020. Since then he has been an Honorary Member of the Club.
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| Bob the champion sprinter in 1964 | Rotarian Bob Lay AM |
In his younger days, Bob was a household name as a champion sprinter. At the age of 18 he represented Australia at the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth and went on to become an Olympian at the 1964 Tokyo Games competing in the 100 and 200 metres. Later, on 10 March 1965, Bob sped along the 100 yards grass track at the Sydney Sports Ground in 9.2 seconds. So far, no sprinter has run faster than his 9.2 seconds for the 100 yards.
After retiring from running, Bob took on many roles in the sporting industry including, the Olympic Committee and as General Manager of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. His significant service to sports administration and athletics was recognised by his award of Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2015 Australia Day Honours listing.
We will all remember Bob's friendship, his sense of humour and he will be sadly missed by all who knew him.