Judo’s Harry O’Rourke adds MNZM to international awards from the sport

Waitakere City Council Chief Executive, Harry O’Rourke, has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Judo, of which he is New Zealand President and an internationally acknowledged administrator.

The Queen’s Birthday Honour comes just eight months after he received the International Judo Federation’s Silver Medal for services to the sport internationally.

Harry O’Rourke has been involved in Judo for most of his life. A black belt and a former instructor, he is current President of the New Zealand Judo Federation and architect of the successful bid to stage the 2004 Commonwealth Judo Championships in November, at Waitakere City’s soon-to-be-opened Trusts Stadium.

He helped found the Commonwealth Judo Association in 1984 and was integrally involved in developing and delivering the Judo programme for the XIVth Commonwealth Games in Auckland, in 1990.

Mr O’Rourke also served on the International Judo Federation’s Audit Committee for 15 years and last year retired from the executive of the Oceania Judo Union which he served for 26 years.

“Honoured as I am, awards like this are really a recognition of all the people who have worked on behalf of the sport. Without their support, my own contribution simply wouldn’t have been possible,” he says.

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