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Surf champ inducted into Sports Hall of Fame
Maroochydore surf lifesaving champion Steven Short was inducted into the Sunshine Coast Sports Hall of Fame at a ceremony at the University of the Sunshine Coast tonight (Thursday 11 November).
Mr Short said he was delighted to be joining the prestigious group of elite sportspeople in the Hall of Fame, which includes Pat Rafter, Mal Meninga, Clint Robinson, Glynis Nunn-Cearns, Brendan Burkett, Grant Kenny, Lisa Curry and Ian Baker Finch.
A crowd of about 150 people attended the ceremony in the foyer of USC's Health and Sport centre, including several previous inductees.
For almost two decades, Mr Short was one of the premier surf lifesaving competitors at the Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club.
He first came to notice in 1990 as a member of the club’s cadet surf teams that won the State title and placed second at the Australian Championships.
Following that, his achievements included winning the world run-swim-run championship in 1994, the world surf race title in 2002 and being named as the most outstanding male lifesaver at the 2001 World Games.
Mr Short also captained the Australian surf lifesaving team in 2003 and 2004 and twice captained the Queensland team.
Over a seven-year period at the peak of his career, he won eight gold, five silver and three bronze medals at national level as well as 11 State titles. He was also part of the Maroochydore team which won the world club championship in 2000 and 2002.
The Sports Hall of Fame ceremony also featured the presentation of Certificate of Merit awards to long-time Sunshine Coast badminton administrator Bill Haselden and to rugby league administrator Ashley Robinson.
Master of ceremonies at the annual induction event was USC Sport Scientist Professor Brendan Burkett who recently became a board member of the Queensland Academy of Sport.
— Terry Walsh