Cessnock Hall of Fame welcomes two new members

Published on 12 October 2020

Image of Hall of Fame inductee Daniel Repacholi, and Cessnock City Mayor, Cr Bob Pynsent at Daniel Repacholi’s Hall of Fame plaque, located in Cooper Street Cessnock.

The City of Cessnock Hall of Fame grew to 60 members this week as Simon Whitlock and Daniel Repacholi were both inducted under the Sports category.

Established in 2006, the Hall of Fame recognises those high achieving individuals and families from our region who have attained prominence in their chosen field.

Whether it’s for sport, arts, business, public service, science or those meritorious families within our local government area, inductees are recognised and celebrated for their outstanding achievements.

Simon Whitlock, who uses the nickname ‘The Wizard’ for his matches, has been playing professional darts since 1984 and has achieved some incredible things in this time. These include winning the Oceanic Masters in 2002, finishing runner up in both the 2008 BDO World Darts Championship and the 2010 PDC World Darts Championship and reaching the final of the World Grand Prix in 2017.

Daniel Repacholi has been competing as a sports shooter since he was 12 years old and has represented Australia professionally in the sport for over 15 years. Daniel made his Olympic debut when he was just 22, representing Australia at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and went on to compete and at many Olympic and Commonwealth Games over the years. In 2018 Daniel won gold in the 50m Pistol event at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, where he set a new Commonwealth Games record.

Cessnock City Mayor, Councillor Bob Pynsent, said these men are both deserving members of the Hall of Fame.

“The dedication both Simon and Daniel have given to their chosen sport is just remarkable, and this is reflected in what they’ve achieved so far.”

“I hope our Hall of Fame creates a sense of pride for the community and inspires future generations to achieve the best they can,” added Cr Pynsent.

Daniel said he was surprised to find out about his nomination for the award.

“It was a bit of a shock to get the call saying I’d been inducted into the Cessnock Hall of Fame, which is quite cool. Having it in front of the burger shop which has been a good sponsor of mine as well, it’s very fitting.”

To find out more about the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame, including how to nominate someone you think deserves to join the ever-growing list, visit the Hall of Fame page

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