What an honour for Daphne Pirie (who is 87 years old) to be chosen to run the baton for the Commonwealth Games.

When you think women’s sport in Australia one of the first names that comes to mind is Daphne Pirie AO MBE.

A celebrated performer in her own right in hockey, golf and track and field, she has made an even bigger contribution in administration. Indeed, the International Olympic Committee said it all when she was awarded the IOC Women and Sport Trophy in 2011.

For a non-Olympian it was an extraordinary recognition, but totally fitting for a woman who has dedicated her life to the promotion of women in sport and the pursuit of sporting excellence. In a competitive career that spanned more than 30 years, she was a nationally-ranked track & field athlete in the 50s, excelling over 440 and 880 yards at a time when they were non-Olympic events.

Daph was in the first Gold Coast Women’s Vets team coached by her husband in 1986.

She was also vice-captain of the Australian hockey team in the pre-Olympic days, and a world-ranked Master’s athlete, winning eight World Masters gold medals. Among countless administrative highlights, she was the founding president of Womensport Queensland, the first female vice-president of the Queensland Olympic Council, a board member of the Queensland Academy of Sport and president of the Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame. In 2012 was named a Queensland Great. A true champion of Queensland sport.