So extensive was her commitment to a life of volunteering that even some closest to her did not know what Ronda Jenkins had done for a living. Ronda who peacefully passed away on 1 April 2026 after a short but intense battle with pancreatic cancer epitomised so much of what is good.
Ronda, who as it happens, was a clerical officer with Sidchrome, began her life-long involvement in athletics as a sprinter initially with the Victorian Railways Institute Women’s Club and then from 1968 with her beloved Brunswick AC – and became very good at it. This was at a time when Australia was very well stocked with female runners and still basking in the glow of the Golden Girls tradition begun in the 1950s.
Until the early 1960s, the women’s Australian Championships were only contested at senior level, so it was not until her 20th year that Ronda had exposure to national competition. But what an induction it was – for after a handy third place finish in her heat of the 100 yards, she anchored the Victorian team to gold in the 440 yards relay – an outfit comprising then Commonwealth relay champion Glennys Beasley and two eventual Olympic medallists Pam Ryan and Judy Pollock.
At a total of six Nationals, Ronda’s best individual result was fifth in the first championship over 100 metres in 1967 but there were four relay golds and two silvers at a time when it was a tough challenge even to be selected for Victoria. The last gold in 1968 was in a team led off by Pam Ryan and brought home by Raelene Boyle.
At home in Victoria, Ronda was a fixture at the famous women’s track in Royal Park. In Victorian Championships there was a silver medal over 100 metres in 1969 and earlier a bronze in the 100 yards in 1966.
By 1970, it was time for Ronda to hang up the spikes at national level although she continued running state championships until 1983. For Ronda, there was no time out of the sport – which from that time on benefitted without a break from her relentless contribution in administration, officiating and team management. As she herself described it, Ronda had a passion for what she dubbed “paperwork” – but that meant all things administrative connected with athletics.
Ronda never over-reached in terms of seeking office but did not hold back in putting her hand up to take on tasks and roles where she believed she could do a good job. And as the last 55 plus years have demonstrated, there were plenty of those. Ronda made a real difference – and often.
Ronda had taken on her first roles at club level with Brunswick Women’s AAC in 1971 as a delegate to the Victorian Women’s AAA State Council. In 1972 she became the club’s treasurer and from 1977 its secretary from then on. Its backbone for more than fifty years, the club has been keen and able to preserve its history through her immaculate documentation and many celebratory and anniversary events.
At state level, Ronda spent hours before every major event preparing the paperwork that will be required for athlete check-in right through to that needed for the conduct of competition. She served as the VWAAA honorary treasurer and, after the state associations merged, as a board member of Athletics Victoria. She was a long-serving state selector and a trustee of the Torch Club that wisely invested funds from the wind-up of the VWAAA and over the ensuing years distributed grants to female athletes and officials.
In turn she became the competition secretary and administration manager for every national championship for 30 years checking every result after every meet to see that there are no errors or discrepancies. Most other officials and staff quickly worked out that they needed to find some sort of excuse at every meet to go to Ronda’s room – to help themselves to the nearly always full lolly jar or some slice or other treat in one of her many Tupperware containers.
There they would find Ronda and “her Ladies” – May Burling, Pat Gartside, Lorraine Smith and Denise Turner – always on top of their tasks for the meet at hand but also finding time to knit or crochet something for Ronda’s other great passion – fund raising for the Epworth Foundation.
Ronda remained, until her passing, the long-term State Records Officer for Athletics Victoria and the National Records Officer for Australian Athletics – always following any changes in rules or specifications that might affect the records approval process. She wheeled her trolley bag into the AA Office to hand over her meticulous documents only in February 2026. Ronda had been elected to the AA Records Committee in 1984 and became its chair a year later. In 1991 the Committee was disbanded and replaced solely by Ronda for the next 35 years.
Internationally Ronda played some role in almost every major event staged in Australia – in roles ranging from Team Administration Officer for the Oceania Team at the 1985 World Cup in Canberra to key roles in the Technical Information Centres for the 1996 World Juniors, Sydney Olympics and Paralympics and the 2001 IAAF Grand Prix Final and as Competition Secretary for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Much earlier she had been a Victorian Team Manager from 1975 until she became more committed to meet administration. Against the background of everything else it could be easy to overlook that Ronda was also a coach – something she was passionate about – especially at club level. She loved all forms of athletics, including many trips to Stawell at Easter.
Despite the opportunities and achievements, when asked about it, Ronda always remained humbled. In her own words – “the reason for being in the sport for so long is because it is a great sport. I love being involved with all the other officials, and being a paper person, I am happy when surrounded by paperwork. I’m not sure if administration will dissolve with all the new technology but for now it works for me.”
A champion volunteer in every sense, Ronda also spent countless hours and days at Epworth Hospital, supporting patients and research staff as the secretary of Friends of Epworth from 2000.
Ronda was rightly recognised on many occasions including as a Life Member of the Victorian Railways Institute Women’s AAC, Brunswick Athletics Club, Athletics Victoria (1998) and Australian Athletics (1998). She received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and became a Life Governor of Australian Athletics in 2002. The Medal of the Order of Australia was bestowed in 2009.
There were myriad service awards presented to honour Ronda’s dedication and commitment including the Australian Athletics Official of the Year in 2005, the Australian Athletics Platinum Pin (2018) and the Athletics Victoria 50-year service award (2021).
Although Ronda was single, she was always engaged with and proud of her extended family which was, of course, broadened by what she rightly described as her Athletics Family.
Ronda’s 82 years were well-lived – and in so many ways more often for the benefit of others and the causes she held dear. She is remembered for her service but perhaps even more so for her kindness, generosity and thoughtfulness. Her always friendly smile and cheeky laugh will be missed.
Her story was beautifully told by a Nine News story aired on the evening of the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne on 28 March which Ronda attended in the knowledge that it would be her last.
Australian Athletics farewells a Legend and a Champion.
Ronda’s Life will be celebrated at Cordell Chapel, Fawkner Memorial Park, 1187 Sydney Road, Fawkner, Victoria on Tuesday, 14 April 2026 commencing at 11.30am. Livestream details will be provided later.
By Brian Roe, Australian Athletics
Posted 2/4/2026
