Oceania Athletics Community mourns the loss of Hazel McDonnell
Vale Hazel McDonnell 1947 – 2026
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we advise the sudden passing of our dear friend, Hazel McDonnell, who suffered a heart attack last night, 18th January.
Hazel was a foundation member of the OAA Masters’ Athletes Commission and a tireless servant of athletics across the Oceania region. Her outstanding contribution to the sport was formally recognised in 2018 when she received the Oceania Athletics Association Merit Award.
A familiar and much-oved presence at competitions throughout Oceania, Hazel served with distinction as a Technical Official while continuing to compete proudly as a Masters athlete. She will be remembered with deep respect and gratitude for her exceptional service to athletics, particularly within Masters’ Athletics and the Technical Officiating community. Her appointment to the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast was a moment of immense pride. Hazel was so proud to have been chosen for a ‘home’ Games and after being at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games as a spectator in 2014, this was truly a moment that she cherished.
Hazel was a friend to all, a mother figure within the Oceania athletics family, fun, funny, known for her unmistakably loud laugh, and never one to shy away from a shopping trolley or two. She embodied fairness, dedication, and lifelong involvement in athletics. Her professionalism, calm authority, and meticulous attention to detail made her a highly regarded Technical Official. Athletes and fellow officials valued her integrity, her deep knowledge, and her willingness to mentor others, always working to uphold the highest standards of competition.
Her Merit Award reflected not only her years of service but the lasting impact she had on the sport and its people. It stands as a testament to her leadership, quiet at times, not so quiet at others, and her unwavering commitment to Masters’ Athletics.
Above all, Hazel was generous, dependable, and endlessly giving. She supported athletes of all ages, offered her time freely, and worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure events ran smoothly and fairly. Her legacy lives on in the competitions she helped deliver, the officials she guided, and the Masters athletes whose journeys she shaped.
Hazel McDonnell’s contribution to athletics will not be forgotten. She will be fondly remembered and deeply missed by the athletics community across Oceania, especially within the Oceania office.
We extend our deepest condolences to Hazel’s husband Ron, her children Ronny, Geoffrey, and Susan, and their families during this incredibly difficult time..
—ENDS—