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Cliff YoungPrint Page Print this page

Track 2 : 17-April-2015
Track 2 : 17-April-2015

Photographs supplied by Kent Watson / Graeme Saunders / Sandra Brown

The monument commemorates long distance runner, Cliff Young.

Albert Ernest Clifford "Cliff" Young (8 February 1922 - 2 November 2003) was an Australian potato farmer and athlete from Beech Forest, Victoria, best noted for his unexpected Westfield Sydney to Melbourne Ultra Marathon win at 61 years of age.

In late 1982, after training for months around the Otway Ranges, Young attempted to break Siggy Bauer's then world record for 1,600 kilometres of 11 days and 23 hours. The attempt took place in Colac's Memorial Square. Young had to abandon the world-record attempt after 625 kilometres.

Location

Address:Princes Highway & Hesse Street, Memorial Square, Colac, 3250
State:VIC
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -38.339466
Long: 143.589527
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Sport

Dedication

Front Inscription

Cliff Young Track

In 1982 Cliff Young used this Memorial Square site to run 800 km. in 8 days 4 hours and 46 minutes, including 500 km, in 3 days 16 hours and 20 minutes ; setting two world records for a person of 60 years.

This record achievement was the forerunner to his Sydney-Melbourne ultra-marathon win in 1983, when he covered 886 km, in 5 days 15 hours and 4 minutes.

Following this incredible feat Cliff Young became a household name in Australia and this was at a time when our spirits were flagging ; he became ...... the hero of the nation.

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au