Brunei Sultan Tours War Memorial And Sports Institute In Canberra

Canberra  - His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei continued his State Visit by touring the Australian Institute of Sport and the War Memorial yesterday.

The institute is Australia's internationally acclaimed national centre of sports excellence for the training and development of elite athletes and teams.

Upon arrival at the Australian Institute of Sports, His Majesty was welcomed by the Institute's Chief Executive Mr Mark Peters and Doctor Peter Fricker, its Acting Director.

At the Institute His Majesty was briefed on the features of the institute's campus and the role and functions of the Australian Sport Commission.

The institute is the nation's primary sports administration and advisory agency, and the cornerstone of a wide ranging sports system.

Opened in 1981 in response to the Australian team's disappointing results at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, the institute originally offered scholarships in eight sports all based in Canberra. At present, the Institute offers scholarships to 700 athletes each year in 35 separate programmes covering 26 sports.

His Majesty's programme included a tour to the Sports Science and Medicine Building. It is here, in this building, where the secret of Australian excellence in sports, lies.

It provides medical services in physiology, biochemistry, biomechanics, psychology, nutrition, physical therapies and performance analysis and skill acquisition.

According to the Australian Sports officials, the centre is responsible for half of the gold medals bagged by the country in the last two Olympics.

Students enrolled here are of those aged 14 to 18 years old. They are subjected to have the privileges of undergoing this advance sports technologies and equipment. So advance is their sports science, the center even exports their expertise to other countries, including the United Kingdom.

Later in the afternoon, His Majesty visited the Australian War Memorial. The Memorial is considered to be Australia's great cultural icon.

Upon arrival at the War Memorial Building, His Majesty was greeted by Major-General Clunies-Ross, the Chairman of the Australian War Memorial Council, and Major-General Steve Gower, the Director of the Australian War Memorial.

The War Memorial is regarded by the Australians as their unique institution that combines a shrine, a museum and an archive.

At the War Memorial, His Majesty laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldiers during the First World War. It commemorates the 102,000 Australians who died while serving their country during the war.

His Majesty then toured the World War II gallery, which included an exhibition on Bronei and the Malay Peninsula.

Australian and British troops were involved in the theatre of conflicts in the two regions. The Memorial was the inspiration of Australia's 1st world War official historian, Charles Bean. His idea was to achieve commemoration through understanding.

There was an element of surprise when His Majesty was shown the historic scene of Brunei.

These old photographs were taken by the Australian soldiers, who served in the liberation force of Borneo towards the end of the 2nd World War.

The pictures were of His Majesty's uncle, Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin, the 27th Sultan of Brunei. They were kept as parts of the Museum's treasured collections.

A total of four million items ranging from bombers and fighters, submarines, tanks and guns to newspaper reports, soldiers' diaries and letters are housed in the museum. The complex is a popular tourist destination.

According to statistics, the Museum welcomes nearly one million visitors every year. Because of that, it has been named as the Best Major Tourist Attraction in Australia for three consecutive years. -- Courtesy of Radio Television Brunei

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