The Australian Centurions

We now have 88 members of this exclusive club, the first in 1937 (Gordon Smith - C1) and the most recent in 2024 (Allicia Heron - C87). Who will be next?

Select any of the pages listed above to find out more about our club and the exclusive world of long distance walking.

Welcome to Allicia Heron (C87), the newest Australian Centurion

Allicia Heron became the latest member of the Australian Centurions, when she completed her 100 mile qualifier in the 48 Hour event at the Australian 6 Day Championship in Adelaide on Friday 4 October. After reaching the 100 mile mark in 23:15:33 and qualifying as C87, she was soon back on the track and into her second day. Now it’s hard ask to walk so hard in the first 24 hours and then back up for the same again, but she was up to the challenge. She passed the 200km mark in a time of 32:27:40, taking over 3 hours off Sabina Hamaty’s Australian Open Record and achieved a final 48 Hour distance of 270.086 km, again a new Australian Open Record, over 19 km further than Sabina’s mark.

Records Galore in Adelaide

Allicia Heron (ACT), David Billett (SA), Sabina Hamaty (NSW), Marie Boyd (AUS/USA) and Albin Hess (VIC) all set ultra walk records at the Australian 6 Day Championship which ran from 29 September to 5 October in Adelaide. The list reads as follows.

Australian Centurion Polo Shirt Refresh

Geofff Hain (C49), David Billett (C50), Justin Scholz (C61) and Sharon Scholz (C63) all in action recently

Australian Centurion members have been in overseas action recently.

David Billett (C50) has clocked up two recent 100 mile centurion walks, the first in May in New Zealand, where he qualified as NZC31 with a time of 23:29:10, and the second in the Adelaide 24 Hour Festival in June where his 100 mile time was 23:35:21. This takes David's centurion tally to 11. Indeed a case of ongoing excellence over many years.

Sharon Scholz (C63) also clocked up another centurion finish (her 13th) with a strong finish in the Continental Centurions annual qualifier in Schiedam in the Netherlands in June. She took third place overall and was the first female finisher, with a 100 mile time of 22:22:22.

Sharon was back in action later that same month in the Manx Telecom Parish Walk on the Isle of Man. The biggest walking event in the Isle of Man, it is so called because the walk passes through every parish on the Isle of Man, a total distance of 85 miles (137 km). There were 3 Australian Centurions in action, as Sharon shared the stage with Justin Scholz (C61) and Geoff Hain (C49). All were successful - Sharon and Justin finished equal 17th with a time of 18:51:58 while Geoff finished 125th with a time of 23:44:01.

Welcome to Sabina Hamaty C86

I am excited to announce our newest centurion in the person of Sabina Hamaty (C86). Competing in the 24 Hour Walk division of the BUTTER 24 on the Gold Coast, Queensland, on the weekend of 1-2 June 2024, she attained a 100 Mile walk time of 23:40:16, thus qualifying for membership of the Australian Centurions. You can read more about what happened on the Gold Coast in document 86 Sabina Hamaty.pdf

We welcome Sabina to the Australian Centurions and we shall be organising a formal function in the near future to officially welcome her to the club.

2023 Annul General Meeting

The 2023 AGM was held on Sunday 21st January 2024 in Melbourne.Minutes are as follows: 2023 AGM Minutes.pdf

October 2023 - More Australian walk records to Sabina Hamaty

Sabina Hamaty was back in action again as a walker, this time in the Australian 6 Day Championship in Adelaide in the first week of October 2023. It was another successful outing for Sabina as she provisionally set new Australian Women's Open and W50 500km Walk (5D:16:17:31) and 6 Day Walk (537.513km) records. David Billett was also in action in the 6 Day Walk, finishing just ahead of Sabina with 551.893km.

June 2023 - New Australian walk records to Sabina Hamaty and another centurion finish for David Billett (C 50)

Well known ultra distance runner Sabina Hamaty was racing against the clock in the Southern Sydney 48 Hour Run on the weekend of 10-11 June 2023. She had never competed as a walker before and contacted me earlier this year to setup her attempt at the Australian 48 Hour walk record in the Sydney race. I can now announce that Sabina was successful, walking to a new Australian records for the 200km Walk (35:36:17) and the 48 Hour Walk (250.820km).

David Billett (C50) was also in action in the The Adelaide 24 Hour Festival in North Adelaide on the same weekend. David was hoping to add yet another centurion finish to his list of achievements and he did just that, reaching the 100 mile walk mark in 23:55:46. For the record, here are David’s nine centurion qualifiers. After finishes in 2004, 2013 and 2019, he has added six further 100 mile walks in the last 15 months. Now that is an impressive stat.

April 2023 - We welcome Arie Kandelaars (C85) as our newest Australian Centurion

We had 3 centurion efforts in the 2023 Australian Centurion qualifying event, held in conjunction with the Coburg 24 Hour Carnival in Melbourne on the weekend of 15-16 April. The first walker to reach 100 miles was Michelle Thompson (C58) who achieved her seventh centurion walk with a time of 22:16:55. The next walker to reach the milestone was David Billett (C50) who achieved his 8th centurion finish with 23:05:12. This came only 3 weeks after his Canberra 48 Hour walk, in which he walked 100 miles during the first 24 hours. The third walker to reach the milestone was Dutchman Arie Kandelaars who became Australian Centurion C85, with a time of 23:28:07. It was Arie's fourth trip to Australia in search of our centurion badge after falling short of the required total in our 2018, 2019 and 2022 events. It was a case of returning to complete unfinished business. Arie already had 5 Centurion badges to his credit: African (2016, 23:52:00), English (2017, 23:49:27), NZ (2017, 23:36:29), Continental and USA (2018, 23:52:14). Five badges in quick succession and now finally an Australian Centurion badge for his sixth.

Michelle Thompson: 22:16:55	David Billett: 23:05:12
Arie Kandelaars: 23:28:07

March 2023 - Joffrid Mackett (C82) and David Billett (C50) each complete another hundred

Joffrid Machett (C82) ande David Billett (C50) were in action in Sri Chinmoy 48 Hour carnival in Canberra on the weekend of 24-26 March and both produced the goods. They had both been aiming to walk 100 miles in the first 24 Hours, thus adding another centurion walk to their resume. They walked together for most of that timeframe, chatting and supporting each other. Joffrid got there first, with a time of 23:47:02, followed a lap later by David, with a time of 23:51:18. It was Joff’s second centurion walk (after qualifying in this same event last year) and David’s seventh.

They then continued on, shifting their focus to the 48 Hour and looking to challenge the Australian Walk record of 283.500km, set by Barry Loveday (C62) in Caboolture, QLD, in 2012. Bad luck for David who picked up some bad blisters and faded a little in the second half, perhaps slightly undertrained on this occasion. But there were no such issues for Joff, who powered through the second 24 Hour period with barely a stop. He worked his way up through the field of runners to finish second overall (and first male) in the 48 Hour Australian Championship with a distance of 294.973km, bettering the Australian 48 Hour Walk Open Record by 11km (obviously also setting a new Australian M50 48H Walk record into the bargain) and claiming the Male Australian 48 Hour Run Championship.

Joffrid and David celebrate their 100 mile walks in Canberra	Joffrid after his Australian 48 Hour walk record

2022 Australian Centurions AGM 

October 2022 - Justin (C 61) and Sharon Scholz (C 63) and David Billett (C 50) clock up yet more centurion finishes

Justin Scholz (C 61) and Sharon Scholz (C 63) recorded yet more centurion finishes at the inaugural German Centurion event on the weekend of 1-2 October 2022, both finishing in the same time of 22:04:27. On the same weekend, David Billett (C 50) completed 100 miles walking on Day One of the Adelaide 6 Day Race in South Australia, his 100 mile time 23:30:18. This maked 22 hundreds for Justin, 12 for Sharon and 6 for David. For those of us who are mere mortals, once is enough, so heartiest congratulations to all three.

VALE Fred Brooks (C42): 1934-2022

I am saddened to report the passing of our beloved and respected Australian Centurions member Fred Brooks (C42). Fred was one of our most enthusiastic members and had been living with his family in England in recent years. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday 14th September 2022 in Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham. Fred packed so much into his 88 years and never eased back on the throttle, right to the end. His life is an inspiration to us. To all his family we pass on our sincere condolences. I have now updated his profile to more properly cover his long and eventful walking career - http://centurions.org.au/centprofiles/42%20Fred%20Brooks.pdf

VALE Robin Whyte (C29): 1942-2022

It is my sad duty to pass on the news that Australian Centurion Robin Whyte (C29) passed away peacefully at 6AM on Saturday 28th May 2022, after a long battle with cancer. Robin was our current Australian Centurions vice president and a life long walking and racewalking enthusiast. He qualified as an Australian Centurion in 1996 at the Collingwood Harriers track in Clifton Hill (Melbourne) with a time of 23:34:20 and was 80 years of age at his passing. Robin was one of our best racewalkers in his prime, representing Australia at the 1976 IAAF 50km World Championship in Sweden and winning many medals at State, National and RWA championship level. I have now updated his profile to more properly cover his long and eventful walking career - http://www.vrwc.org.au/tim-archive/articles/wo-robin-whyte.pdf

June 2022 - Justin (C 61) and Sharon Scholz (C 63) clock up yet more centurion finishes

Justin Scholz (C 61) and Sharon Scholz (C 63) were amongst 9 walkers who completed 100 miles at the annual Continental Centurions qualifier in Schiedam, Holland, on the weekend of 4-5 June 2022, crossing the 100 mile line together as usual in a time of 22:04:23. They had only arrived in Europe earlier that week, cycled to Schiedam and then completed the walk. It was Justin’s 20th centurion finish and Sharon’s 10th. After a couple of recovery days, they jumped on their tandem bike and resumed their European tour which had now seen them in Holland, Luxumbourg, France, Switzerland. Their next walking appointment saw them back in Holland in mid July for the Nijmegen 4 Day Walk. Then August saw them in England for the English Centurions 100 Mile walk at Middlesbrough. There, they were amongst 17 successful walkers, finishing side by side as uaual with a 100 mile walk time of 22:42:43. 

STOP PRESS - Welcome to Remy Van Den Brand (C83) and Andrew Titley (C84) as our newest members

We saw five centurion performances at our Coburg 24 Hour Carnival on the weekend of 9-10 April 2020, with two new Australian Centurions, with Remy Van Den Brand (C83) and Andrew Titley (C840 joining our ranks. The 5 centurion walks were as follows

Remy Van Den Brand (NED) C83 21:04:52
Justin Scholz (AUS) C61 21:17:26
David Billett (AUS) C50 22:33:38
Andrew Titley (IOM) C84 22:48:59
Sharon Scholz (AUS) C63 22:53:06

>Sharon, Justin, David, Andrew and Remy at Coburg

For each of the 3 Australians, it was a further hundred mile centurion walk to add to their list - 19 now for Justin Scholz (C61), 5 for David Billett (C50) and 9 for Sharon Scholz (C63).

It was warm on both days, which made for challenging conditions, so well done to everyone who made it to the start line and who then laboured through the 24 Hour, 12 Hour, 6 Hour and Marathon so gamely. We'll be updating our event website soon with race reports and event photos, but in the interim....

Full results are at https://my0.raceresult.com/196364/RRPublish/pdf.php?name=Trailsplus%7CResults%20-%20Time%20Events&contest=0&lang=en, compliments of Brett and Robyn of TrailsPlus, who looked after all our timing needs so wonderfully, as always.

If you go into the results pages via link https://trailsplus.com.au/c24hr2022/?fbclid=IwAR3VThT20nCOmpGwsxwYsj1xTpNvxFSD3HHzik4EwghViWg-6CPLv7RuhFA, you can click on each competitor and view all their lapsplits.

Thanks to all the wonderful Coburg Harriers and Australian Centurion folk who come along every year to support this event, and thanks to the competitors and crews who supported this year's event with their presence.

Joffrid Mackett (C82) is our newest Australian Centurion. And Justin Scholz (C61) and David Billett (C50) each complete another hundred

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