Kitty Chiller honoured for significant services to sport



Leading sporting administrator and Olympian, Kitty Chiller has been appointed as a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia (General Division) during Australia Day celebrations for her significant services to sport.

Kitty Chiller AM is being honoured for her work in Modern Pentathlon as both a competitor and senior administrator, plus a broad range of achievements across 35 years in domestic and international sport.

Ms Chiller’s services to Modern Pentathlon as a competitor include being the first ever female to represent Australia in Pentathlon at the Olympic Games (Sydney 2000); earning the world number one ranking and being a winner of 7 World Cup medals.

As an administrator, Ms Chiller has been the President of Modern Pentathlon Australia for the last 10 years alongside her Presidency of the sport’s Oceania Confederation while also serving as a current Executive Member of the sport’s international governing body.

Outside of her extensive Modern Pentathlon achievements and contributions, Ms Chiller is the current CEO of Gymnastics Australia, President of the Oceania Gymnastics Union and is an Executive Member of the International Gymnastics Federation.

“I have an incredible passion for sport at all levels – participation to elite – and I have been extremely lucky to have been able to work in an area that I care about so much all my life,” Ms Chiller said.

“For me working in sport is a joy, so, to be recognised with this honour is both unexpected and humbling. I hope to be able to keep contributing to sport domestically and internationally for many more years to come.”

Ms Chiller also has a long history of service to the Olympic movement with a list of senior roles as far back as Seoul 1988 where she was the Australian Olympic Team’s first ever Press Attaché. She also served as coach and manager of the Australian men’s pentathlon team in Atlanta, 1996; was on the pentathlon selection panel for Beijing 2008 and was Deputy Chef de Mission in London 2012.

More recently, Ms Chiller was Chef de Mission of the Australian Olympic Team in Rio 2016, the first ever female to hold this prestigious position. She has also sat on the Australian Olympic Committee Executive Board since 2013 and late last year she was appointed to the International Olympic Committee’s Athlete’s Entourage Commission.

“Given the enormous breadth of commitment that Kitty has given Australia sport in so many capacities, this honour is richly deserved,” said Australian Olympic Committee President, John Coates.

“An Olympian, a champion of her sport in this country, a tireless contributor to the AOC as a Chef de Mission, Deputy Chef and Team Manager. She is unique really.

“An Olympic coach, then a competitor and ultimately the Chef de Mission in Rio, a role that Kitty carried out with great distinction.

“Kitty continues to contribute to this day as an Executive Member of the AOC, the IOC’s Athlete’s Entourage Commission and of course guiding Gymnastics Australia as CEO.

“I can’t think of any other Australian who, like Kitty, has sat on the International Executives of two Olympic sports as she does with Gymnastics and Modern Pentathlon.

“Modern Pentathlon, the Olympic movement and Australian sport more broadly have been very lucky to benefit from Kitty’s drive and talents.”

Gymnastics Australia President, Sam McKay, praised Ms Chiller as a tireless campaigner for women in sport and recognised her extensive contribution to sport generally and to gymnastics in more recent times.

“The honour being bestowed upon Kitty is befitting of her contribution to sport at all levels, both in Australia and around the world,” Mr McKay said.

“She is an outstanding ambassador for her country and being appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia is one of the finest honours that can be awarded to any Australian.

“On behalf of everyone at Gymnastics Australia, and within the broader gymnastics community I sincerely congratulate Kitty on this deserved honour.”

Click HERE for full details of the Member (AM) of the Order of Australia.  

Ms Kitty Chiller AM – citation and full list of service

Citation: For significant service to sport, particularly as a modern pentathlon competitor and administrator.

Service includes:

Modern Pentathlon Australia:

·        President, National Federation, since 2009.

·        High Performance Manager, since 2009.

·        Chair, Selection Panel, since 2009.

·        President, Modern Pentathlon Oceania Confederation, since 2017.

·        Executive Member, Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne, since 2017.

Modern Pentathlon Competitor:

·        First ever women to represent Australia in Modern Pentathlon at the Olympic Games, Sydney 2000.

·        Winner, 7 World Cup Medals.

·        Winner, 12 Australian Modern Pentathlon Championships.

·        Held World number one ranking.

·        Inaugural Winner, Australian Triathlon Championship, 1984.

Australian Olympic Committee:

·        Executive Member, since 2013.

·        Chef de Mission, Australian Olympic Team, Rio, 2016.

·        Deputy Chef de Mission, Australian Olympic Team, London 2012.

·        International Modern Pentathlon Selector, Beijing 2008.

·        Manager/Coach, Australian Men's Modern Pentathlon Team, Atlanta 1996.

·        Press Attaché, Australian Olympic Team, Seoul 1988.

Gymnastics:

·        Chief Executive Officer, Gymnastics Australia, since 2017.

·        President, Oceania Gymnastics Union, since 2018.

·        Executive Member, International Gymnastics Federation, since 2018.

International Olympic Committee:

·        Member, IOC Athlete’s Entourage Committee, since 2018.