THE men behind sculptures of sporting icons John Coleman (Hastings), Lionel Rose (Warragul) and John Famechon (Frankston) are planning a similar honour for Mornington Peninsula athlete Debbie Flintoff-King.
Red Hill resident Robert McCarthy announced the Debbie Flintoff-King statue project at a function at the Mornington Civic Reserve last week.
Sculptor Stephen Glassborow – who designed and crafted the Coleman statue outside the library in High Street – took some final details and measurements of Ms Flintoff-King, 59, and proffered a sketch of the proposed artwork he and the multi-medal-winning athlete had previously discussed.
“I have worked with Stephen and a variety of community groups, individuals, businesses, local government and supporters in the past to raise funds for the other statues as gifts to the community,” Mr McCarthy said.
“This statue will celebrate Debbie’s remarkable sporting career, her contribution as an outstanding member of the community, and as a symbol of encouragement and inspiration to others, particularly girls and young women.”
Mr McCarthy said few women had been honoured in this way.
He is now looking to raise money from the community for the statue to be sculpted installed “somewhere on the peninsula”.
Flintoff-King, who began as a junior at Frankston, achieved world prominence as a 400-metre runner and hurdler in a career spanning 1979-1991. She won gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and silver at the 1987 Rome world championships. She won Commonwealth Games’ gold at Brisbane in 1982 and Edinburgh (1986), and silver at Brisbane (1982), Edinburgh (1986), and Auckland (1990), as well as a string of state and national athletics titles.
First published in the Western Port Times – 14 August 2019
