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Olympics community in mourning over death of Aussie hero

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·3-min read
Colin Ridgway, John Vernon and Chilla Porter, pictured here at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne.
Australians Colin Ridgway, John Vernon and Chilla Porter at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. (Photo by Bruce Howard / Newspix)

The Australian Olympics community is mourning the death of Charles ‘Chilla’ Porter, who died at age 84 on Saturday.

Porter, who figured in one of the most dramatic high jump finals in Olympic history, died after a long battle with cancer.

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Porter captivated a nation during the 1956 Melbourne Games, claiming the silver medal in a final that lasted more than five hours.

He cleared 2.10m under lights at the MCG in front of 60,000 fans to take the silver behind American high jump legend Charles Dumas.

All the top four finishers broke the Olympic record.

“Charles was a great athlete and ambassador for athletics in Australia and abroad,” Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates said.

“Winning silver in front of 60,000 fans at a home Games after a marathon high jump competition stretching past sunset is etched into Australian Olympic folklore.”

Porter also competed in the 1960 Games in Rome and won two Commonwealth Games silver medals as well as seven national titles.

Christian Porter pays tribute to legendary father

Porter, who was inducted into the Athletics Australia Hall of Fame in 2011, is the father of federal Attorney-General Christian Porter.

“Shani (his sister) and I had our entire life blessed by the most devoted of fathers,” Christian Porter wrote on Facebook.

“Mum got married at 19 to the most devoted of husbands and so we will always remember that wonderful loving father and husband and grandfather who lived such a fantastic life.”

Christian Porter paid tribute to the way his sister had cared for their father in his final weeks, as well as reflecting on his Olympic legacy.

“My sister’s long care for Dad (allowed him to) die in his own home on the weekend. (It) has been the greatest act of kindness I have ever seen,” he wrote.

“(The 1956 Olympics) must truly have been something special because people of all walks of life from that time will stop me in the street 64 years later to say that they were there and still remember every jump.

“Dad gave his youth to Australian athletics which he loved and the best part of his working life to the Liberal Party in whose founding principles his faith never wavered.”

Tributes have also been flowing in on social media.

with AAP