NEWS DESK
Boxing world mourns loss of a champion Brodie Cowburn brodie@baysidenews.com.au BOXING legend Johnny Famechon has died aged 77. Famechon, a Frankston resident for five decades, was born Jean-Pierre in France. He moved to Australia as a young child with his family and quickly took to boxing, making his pro debut at Festival Hall aged just 16. In the ring, Famechon was a plucky and skilled boxer who fought with heart. He skipped amateur boxing and rose through the ranks quickly after debuting, with his strong defensive style setting him apart from the rest. Famechon’s crowning glory came in 1969. In front of a huge crowd in the main event at Royal Albert Hall in London, Famechon scored an upset world title win over highly favoured champion Jose Legra. Famechon held the WBC World Featherweight Title for more than a year before eventually losing it to top contender Vicente Salvidar. His legendary title defences against Japan’s Fighting Harada have gone down in history. Soon after losing the title, Famechon hung up the gloves. He finished with an impressive record of 56-5-6. He was never knocked out. Around the same time as his boxing career finished he embarked on the next stage of his life. Famechon moved to Frankston in 1970, and had two children soon afterwards. He married his second wife, longtime partner Glenys, in 1997. Since moving to Frankston, Fame-
chon has been an active member of the community. He helped local police run the Frankston Blue Light Boxing Club. In 1991 Famechon was hit by a car while jogging. He suffered life-changing injuries, but learned to walk and talk again. He suffered from health issues resulting from the accident for the rest of his life. This year, Famechon received a fitting final honour. For his contributions to boxing, he was made a member of the Order of Australia on Queen’s Birthday. Although he only stood at 5 foot 5 inches tall, the man affectionately known as “Fammo” was larger than life. A statue commemorating his career towers over Ballam Park in Frankston, a fitting tribute to a resilient warrior who refused to be knocked down.
LEGENDARY boxer Johnny Famechon (pictured above in 2014) has died. Pictures: Gary Sissons
Award for golf coaching program A GOLF coach working to achieve gender equality in the sport has been recognised with an award. Garth Cusick is the founder and head coach of The International Golf Academy. He plays golf at the course in Bangholme. Last month, Cusick won Golf Australia’s Visionary of the Year July award for his work helping Chinese-Australian women get involved with golf. “It all happened quite organically,” Cusick said. “A Chinese couple, who were interested in learning golf, realised I spoke Mandarin. They made me aware that there was a large population of Chinese-Australians in Melbourne who were somewhat unable to participate in sport or leisure activity due to a language barrier. I remembered that feeling of isolation when I was unable to communicate overseas, and that is how my business model was born.”
PHOTOGRAPHER Ceberio Johnson with his prize winning self-portrait at Frankston Arts Centre. Picture: Supplied
Striking self-portrait secures art award A PHOTOGRAPHER has been named the winner of Frankston Arts Centre’s open exhibition prize. Ceberio Johnson won the award for his self-portrait photograph Ceb and Early. The photo was taken using a remote and tripod. Johnson, who lives with blindness, said the photograph proved challenging because his dog kept trying to knock over the tripod. “I gave him a treat to
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make him good. He is a very beautiful dog but at one time no one wanted him and he wandered the streets. We feel happy because we are together and together we belong,” he said. Competition judge Suzette Weane said the piece stood out because “in a cultural landscape saturated by posed and edited selfies, this self-portrait stands out for the joy and spontaneity of its subjects—a young blind
Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 10 August 2022
man and his dog. It captures Ceberio Johnson’s remarkable fortitude and optimism.” The prize for winning is an exhibition and opening event at Frankston Arts Centre next year, as well as a cash prize of $1000. Artworks entered into the open competition are now showing at Frankston Arts Centre’s Cube 37 Gallery. The exhibition closes Thursday 25 August.
Cusick now runs 14 two hour classes a week, Most participants are Chinese-Australian. Golf Australia’s head of female engagement Tiffany Cherry said the program was helping the sport move into the future. “It’s fantastic to see golf clubs, facilities, PGA Professionals and Community Instructors think outside the box to innovate and create pathways into the game for more of the community,” she said. “Golf has an outdated reputation that we are hellbent on changing because there are so many clubs, facilities and individuals making the game more accessible, and through the visionary of the year award we hope to inspire more in the golfing community to do the same.”
GOLF coach Garth Cusick with two students. Picture: Supplied