Sue Pavish

Olympian (1976)

Graduated St Margaret's in 1974

Sue Pavish (nee Jowett) fell in love with sport at St Margaret’s, participating in everything from netball, softball, artistic gymnastics and lifesaving to her keenest passion, athletics. She vividly recalls coming a close second to State High at the GPS carnival.

After graduating from St Margaret’s, Sue continued to pursue an athletic career while also studying a Sports Science degree at The University of Queensland. Training demands and hours soon took their toll and Sue chose to change her study pathway, starting a teaching degree at Kelvin Grove College, a decision which led to a 30 year career in education.

In 1975, Susan’s name hit the world record books as a member of a national 4x220yds relay team, which set a new mark of 1min 38.5sec on a grass track in Brisbane. In 1976, at age 19, she competed for New Zealand at the Montreal Olympic Games, reaching the quarter finals in both the 100 and 200 metre events. Unfortunately, she missed the opportunity to compete at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games due to the boycott.

Sue began teaching in Auckland where she taught at Manukau Intermediate and then at Penrose High. In the early 1980s, she spent two years in Eugene Oregon assisting her husband who was working for Athletics West – a Nike sponsored centre that was ahead of its time with support for top US Athletes. The centre boasted sports psychologists, medical experts and sports scientists. As a result of this, she was invited as a consultant onto New Zealand’s Hillary Commission — an institution which was established to not only mirror the Australian Institute of Sport, but also to develop sports programs for young, school-aged New Zealand athletes.

Upon returning to Australia, Sue took up a teaching position at Moreton Bay College as Director of Sport – a position she has held and loved ever since. Sue said: “It has been so rewarding to see the improvements and developments in the program and to have had the opportunity to guide our young athletes onto State and National representation, as well as instilling in all students a love of sport.”

Sue holds fond memories of her St Margaret’s years, a period in which she forged strong friendships that have withstood the test of time and distance. She still meets regularly with her St Margaret’s friendship group.

Of her St Margaret’s days, Sue said: “My days at St Margaret’s were quite different to how things are now. When I started at the school, the nuns were in charge of the school. Sport was also very different, with Lifesaving being a big part of our competitive program. Two PE teachers stand out for me – the legendary Miss Dyason and first year teacher Penny Clarke, who later went on to be Executive Officer of both Andrews Cup and the QGSSSA.

“I remember thinking we were quite the ‘rebels’ when we rolled up our skirts to make them more of a fashionable “mini’ length and took to jumping the fence in Lapraik Street to avoid the prefects who were checking skirt length. We campaigned and successfully got rid of the old box pleat sports tunic, but unfortunately still had to wear bloomers under our new style sports uniform ‘in case our dress blew up’.”