Obituary: Harry O'Rourke

Post date: May 24, 2016 11:49:14 AM

The Commonwealth Judo Association regret to advise that our former President Harry O’Rourke passed away on 21 March, aged 74. Harry will be sadly missed by his family and his many judo colleagues & friends.

In 1986 Harry O’Rourke was elected President of the Commonwealth Judo Association (CJA) after being one of the founders along with the late John Perrins of Wales and Owen Clarke of Scotland. After the success of the ‘demonstration’ sport at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in 1986, judo was subsequently included in the sports programme for the Commonwealth Games held in Auckland in 1990. He subsequently directed and guided the games operations as Sports Director for Judo in the 1990 Commonwealth Games.

Harry O’Rourke was President of the New Zealand Judo Federation for over 20 years; was a Life Member of Judo New Zealand; he was a member of the IJF Finance Commission for many years and was a former Treasurer of the Oceania Judo Union. Harry remained CJA President until 2013 when he was elected Honorary President.

The Commonwealth Judo Association extends our condolences to his wife Jackie, family & friends.