Kiama Girl Gets Torch Honour
Illawarra Mercury
Tuesday June 20, 2000
A 17-year-old Kiama girl has been chosen to run the Olympic torch relay leg initially given to Australian Olympic Committee secretary-general Craig McLatchey.
Sally Meale, who is in remission from lymphoma, was chosen by the Starlight Foundation to run Mr McLatchey's leg into the north Queensland city of Rockhampton today.
Mr McLatchey and AOC president John Coates both relinquished their torch-bearer spots to charity after the fiasco at the torch-lighting ceremony in Olympia, Greece, last month.
Amid cries of nepotism, the 11-year-old daughter of International Olympic Committee vice-president Kevan Gosper, was bumped up the order to be the first Australian to carry the torch in Greece at the expense of Greek-Australian schoolgirl Yianna Souleles.
The Starlight Foundation grants wishes to children suffering from cancer and disease. Sally has had T-cell lymphoma in her spine for many years, but is now in remission.
In her letter to the foundation she wrote that the Olympics were a chance of a lifetime and she would love to be a spectator.
``When Sydney was announced as the next city to host the Olympics I was sick with cancer," she said.
``Though I was sick the announcement gave me hope. Something to look forward to."
Sally's run is at 5:35pm and she will be the first runner into Rockhampton.
© 2000 Illawarra Mercury