Susan Elizabeth Andrew

Commencing with the Eastern Suburbs Club and coming under the strong influence of noted coach, the late Graeme Stoward, Susan started her outstanding career as a sprinter. As such, she won numerous state titles and, after success at the state level, was awarded a Tasmanian Institute of Sport (TIS) scholarship, enabling her to gain further valuable competition experience.

This stood her in good stead, as she was selected for her first national team to compete in the 1986 Junior World Championships, where she reached the semi-finals of the 400 metres.Selected again in 1990 for the World Juniors, she finished fourth in the 400 metre individual final and was a member of Australia's gold-medal-winning 4 x 400 metre relay team.

In 1990, Susan's outstanding potential as a junior athlete and her excellent early achievements were recognised within the broader community, when she was named as Tasmania's Young Achiever of the Year. Her hard work and perseverance saw Susan selected for a further nine major international competitions, including the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games, where she won a silver medal in the 4 x 400 metre relay, and the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games, where she was part of the gold-medal-winning relay team.

Susan excelled at a time when Australia was inundated with top-class 400 metre female athletes and selection in even a relay team was never assured. A two-time Olympian, Susan finished seventh in the relay at her first Olympic Games, in 1992 at Barcelona. In 2000, she added a longer distance to her repertoire, competing in both the 800 metres and the 4 x 400 metre relay at Australia's home Olympic Games in Sydney.

Susan also competed in two World Championships, in 1999 and again in 2003, as well as being selected in the 1999 World Indoor team, where she won another silver medal in the relay. During that time the Australians boasted an exceptionally strong quartet of 400 metre runners, with Susanbeing one of the first to be selected in each of those teams.

To gain access to both more intensive coaching and tougher competition, and to advance her academic studies as a graphic design artist, Susan moved to Western Australia in 1997. She continued to compete as a Tasmanian until the national rules required her to run for her adopted state; however, she maintained her TIS scholarship and her links to home for as long as possible.

Following the 2003 World Championships, Susan retired from international competition, leaving a legacy of a great career and a reputation as both an outstanding ambassador for her sport and for Tasmania