By Jessica Micallef
Not many people label a defeat as one of their greatest achievements. But Mario Magris has shown how a defeat can shape anyone’s life.
The Sunbury resident has been appointed an officer of the Order of Australia in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list for his dedication to the boxing industry.
Mr Magris, 76, said it was a great honour to receive the Order of Australia medal.
“I’m still on cloud nine to be receiving an award like this for something that I love very much,” he said.
Mr Magris began his career as a boxer in 1957 at 13-years-old. He had his first fight as an amateur boxer in 1958 in Ringwood before he turned professional in 1964.
The boxing enthusiast said a trip to the cinema with his mum inspired him to one day put the boxing gloves on.
“She took me to the films in 1947 to watch Body and Soul,” he said.
“It’s a story about a boxer and there was something about that film. Since then I always wanted to be a boxer and I never stopped wanting to be one.
”Mr Magris travelled all over Australia, participating in 78 fights before he retired in 1970 at the young age of 25.
“I came down with a very rare blood disorder … it was chronic anemia, it’s a weakness in the blood,” he said.
Mr Magris was inducted into the Victorian Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004. But he says his greatest achievement of all was his three defeats to Australian boxing champion Lionel Rose.
“I still remember how close the fights were,” he said.
“He became a world champion. He beat me three times. To be able to go the distance in two very close decisions – people still remember t hose fights.”
Riddells Creek’s Susan Mayes was made a member in the general division of the Order of Australia for her physiotherapy service and dedication at The Australian Ballet spanning nearly 25 years.
“I came from a ballet background, I studied dance well into my 20s and I experienced quite a few injuries and I started to discover physio.
“Once I finished my physio, I was really quite driven to try and look after dancers’ health.”
Ms Mayes is the director of artistic health and the principal physiotherapist at The Australian Ballet and specialises in foot, ankle and hip injuries.
Mount Macedon resident Ronald Alexander has also been awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his work in the Strathfieldsaye shire, now known as the City of Greater Bendigo.
“I got on council in 1972 [and] I served there for 20 years,” he said.
Gisborne’s Julien O’Connell has been made an officer in the general division of the order of Australia for his involvement in tertiary education and community health.
He has been Australian Catholic University’s pro-chancellor since 2015 and has dedicated many years to Victoria’s health sector, including chairing the Mercy Health Foundation and Mercy Health Australia.
“I have been engaged with work that is beneficial in society at large, be it across hospitals, aged care, disability and the university life,”he said.
Mr O’Connell was also appointed a member of the Order of Australia in 2013
