Congratulations John Pearce OAM

AdelaideNow - Antino Iannella, January 26, 2007

FOR more than three decades, Stanley Miller and John Pearce have enjoyed a friendly rivalry on the track, guiding some of South Australia's best young athletes to competition glory.

But all rivalry will be forgotten today when the pair is awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for their services to athletics.

 "We're colleagues off the track and competitors on it," Mr Miller, 63, said, also saying that Mr Pearce was a "far more deserving recipient than I".

 Both men have a long history in South Australian athletics, with Mr Pearce, 63, joining the Enfield Harriers club as a committee member in 1961 before taking up coaching four years later.

 He remains on the club board and continues to train middle-distance and race walking athletes three nights a week, with his love of the sport still strong.

 "I still enjoy being a part of it. You get so involved, it's hard to give it up," Mr Pearce, a life member of Athletics SA said. "The time I'll retire is when I can't get out of bed."

 Mr Miller emigrated from England in 1972 and soon became running coach at the Port Adelaide Athletics Club.

 In the 33 years since, he has held a number of senior training and administration roles within South Australian athletics and was personal coach to Sydney Olympian Brad Jamieson.

 Mr Miller is still heavily involved in the sport at board level and as development director of Athletics SA and maintains a coaching position at his beloved Port Adelaide.

 The West Beach resident dedicated the award to his wife, Vicki, describing her as a "true athletic widow".

 Mr Pearce said he decided to accept the award because of the service it could provide to his sport.

 "There are a lot of people around that have worked as hard, if not harder than me, so I was surprised," he said. "Now I'm going to try and use the recognition to help do more for the sport."