Locals Join in the Corporate 
Games, Raise Money for Diabetes NSW
Led by former Olympian Elka Graham, nearly 30 local athletes will be competing in the 2008 NSW Corporate Games from March 13-16 at events around Sydney.
The Drum
By Dave Keogh
The Manly mob is among some 8,500 competitors who will be playing for major companies such as AMP, Telstra, Optus, ANZ, ING, Goodman Fielding and their counterparts. And though up against it in terms of numbers, there’s certainly a look of quality about the local squad who’ll be representing Manly-based online sports community, DoubleDrummer.com.
Joining Elka - the one-time 200 metre freestyle World Record Holder and Sydney 2000 silver medallist - will be former AFL Hawthorn Hawk, Mark Bunn (now living in Balgowlah) and North Manly tennis stars Lara and Robert Giltinan, children of 1970s Davis Cup player Bob.
But not all the Manly team boast such a sporting pedigree… other local tennis players, golfers, volleyball players, swimmers and a lone triathlete of all standards have banded together to participate in Australia’s largest multi-sport event to raise money for Diabetes Australia-NSW.
Other Manly sporting legends Kerri Pottharst and Liz Ellis are official Patrons of the Corporate Games. In total the various Corporate Games (NSW, VIC and QLD) attract more than 22,000 participants each year from thousands of organisations around Australia. Over 140,000 individuals, representing 3,000 companies have competed in the Games so far. The largest team to date was from the ANZ Bank who entered 1,233 employee athletes in 2007.
Elka said last week: "I love the whole philosophy of the Games. As an Ambassador for Double Drummer, it fits perfectly with the values on which this new online community is based: the first is participation in an active and healthy lifestyle; second is meeting people and having fun; and third is helping a good cause, in this case Diabetes Australia-NSW. I can’t wait to get back in the pool for my first competitive swim since retiring.”
And Elka will be returning to the scene of her Olympic medal-winning swim in 2000. She’ll compete in both the 50 metre and 100 metre freestyle events for women aged under 30 at the Sydney Olympic Pool, Homebush on Saturday 15th March. For anyone wanting to watch Elka’s comeback, her first heat is scheduled for 12 Noon that day.
The Giltinans will be swinging their racquets for a good cause at the nearby Olympic tennis Centre on the same day… and it will be something of a comeback for 22 year-old Lara too. The former Australian Junior No. 1 has had a rotten run with injuries that have taken her off the circuit for more than 18 months. This will be her first competitive hit out in a long time.
So for a fun day out watching some of our best local talent do battle against the corporate big guns, get yourself out to Homebush and cheer on the Manly champs. in the NSW Corporate Games.
For more information click Corporate Games 2008.
Our Manly columnist Dave Keogh has been a professional writer for some 30 years, contributing to publications as broad as Modern Fishing and Outdoor. He honed a passion writing a regular column – Talking Tennis – for The Manly Daily. With a varied history including work as a music industry publicist, theatrical agent, band manager, poet, editor and tennis coach, he found his niche in advertising, and with loads of awards under his belt, Dave went into business on his own and now runs several very successful businesses, including an online community connecting sport-loving people – http://www.doubledrummer.com/Most importantly, Dave loves sport, and is an avid supporter of The Manly Sea Eagles…