Sporting legends inducted into Hall of Fame

Jessica Hull, Tina Rahimi, Abbey Connor and George Boukouvalas, along with 24 other local sporting elite and administrators, were honoured during a special ceremony at the Centre of Excellence at Bankstown Memorial Park.
As a member of Australia’s Olympic team, the country’s first female Muslim boxer Tina Rahimi said her inclusion in the games sent a very clear message to all young women that they can reach their goals if they put their mind to it.
“I hope I’m an example for all Muslim women in our community, that they can achieve anything they want with their hijab,” Rahimi said.
“I want to pave the way so they can go out there and smash whatever they choose.”
The 28 new inductees join an elite group of athletes whose sporting legacy is featured on the walls of the Centre of Excellence, including the Waugh brothers, Steve Mortimer, Billy ‘The Kid’ Dib and more.
Memorial Oval was a second home for Australian cricketer Ashleigh Gardner, who said she was honoured to be inducted and represent her community.
“I grew up following the Waugh brothers and I feel really privileged to now be inducted myself,” Gardner said.
“It’s certainly something that I didn’t expect this early on in my career and it’s a pretty cool achievement.”
The group of athletes are the first to be inducted to the rejuvenated Bankstown Sporting Hall of Fame in over a decade, following a Council motion raised by Councillor Chris Cahill last November.
“You don’t get to where these people have got unless you put a lot of hard work in, and that deserves to be recognised,” Clr Cahill said.
“They have made a place in Bankstown’s history so they should be there for our kids and grandkids to read about.”
Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek said the Hall of Fame gives an incredible insight into the City’s greatest sporting icons.
“We must keep this tradition alive and continue to recognise those who have achieved great things in the sporting arena,” Mayor El Hayek said.
“To be included in the hall of fame is an extremely fitting form of recognition.”
The Bankstown Sporting Hall of Fame acknowledges and honours members of the Bankstown community for their outstanding sporting achievements.
It was established at Bankstown Sports Club in 1988 and relocated to the Centre of Excellence at Bankstown Memorial Park in 2013.
Guided tours of the Bankstown Sporting Hall of Fame are available by appointment with the Bankstown District Cricket Club.
For more information and to view the online Hall of Fame, visit cb.city/HallOfFame
Full list of new inductees to the Bankstown Sporting Hall of Fame:
• Abbey Connor – Swimming
• Alan Thompson – Swimming
• Alex Fulcher – Cycling
• Ashleigh Gardner – Cricket
• Bob Elphinston – Basketball
• Brandon Paenga-Amosa – Rugby Union
• Callum Beashel – Softball
• David Klemmer – Rugby League
• Denise Beckwith – Swimming
• Ellen Maher – Gymnastics
• Hayden Mathews – Softball
• Ian Holmes – Football
• Jacob Burns – Football
• Jessica Hull – Athletics
• Kim Lembryk – Football
• Kristina Mah – Karate
• Luke Adams – Athletics
• Mark Milligan – Football
• Michelle Watson – Football
• Paul Croft – Athletics
• Peter Boukouvalas – Archery
• Rochelle Gilmore – Cycling
• Rosemary Van Bruinessen – Football
• Ross Graham – Basketball
• Sasho Petrovski – Football
• Sean Eadie – Cycling
• Tina Rahimi – Boxing
• Youcef Abdi – Athletics