Rod Bonella
{{Short description|Australian long-distance runner and horse trainer}}
{{Use Australian English| date=June 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Rod Bonella
| image =
| caption =
| alt =
| sport = Athletics
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1937|06|19|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2000|4|2|1937|06|19|df=y}}
| death_place =
| occupation = Horse trainer
| years_active = 1950s–1967 (Running)
1957–? (Horse training)
| pb =
| commonwealth = 1962
| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Marathon}}
{{Medal|Competition|Commonwealth Games}}
{{Medal|Bronze|1962 Perth|Marathon}}
}}
Rodney Fairfax Bonella (19 June 1937{{Cite web|title=Rodney 'Rod' Bonella (Vic)|url=http://athhistory.imgstg.com/athletes/athlete651.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406061721/http://athhistory.imgstg.com/athletes/athlete651.htm|archive-date=6 April 2016|access-date=11 June 2021|website=Australian Athletics}} – 2 April 2000) was an Australian long-distance runner and horse trainer. He came third in the marathon event at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
Running career
Bonella attended Scotch College, Melbourne, where he ran the mile and half-mile events, and was also a cross-country runner. He was part of the school's 4 x 880 yard relay team that set an Associated Public Schools of Victoria (APS) record.{{cite web| url=https://www.scotch.vic.edu.au/greatscot/2000SepGS/p36obit.htm| title=Obituaries| publisher=Scotch College, Melbourne| date=24 June 2013| accessdate=11 June 2021| archive-date=16 April 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416134820/https://www.scotch.vic.edu.au/greatscot/2000SepGS/p36obit.htm| url-status=live}} In the 1960s, Bonella was trained by Emil Zátopek, and trained alongside fellow Australian athletes Ron Clarke, Trevor Vincent and Tony Cook. In 1962, Bonella came second in the Australian National Marathon Championships, behind Keith Ollerenshaw.{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79368777/rod-bonella-1962-commonwealth/| title=Rod Bonella in Games team| work=The Age| via=Newspapers.com| date=4 September 1962| page=22| accessdate=11 June 2021| archive-date=11 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611161548/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79368777/rod-bonella-1962-commonwealth/| url-status=live}} He was competing for Victoria state.{{cite web| url=http://collingwoodharriers.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/1962winter.pdf| title=AUSTRALIAN MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIP Perth| date=1962| pages=6–7| accessdate=11 June 2021| archive-date=11 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611110119/http://collingwoodharriers.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/1962winter.pdf| url-status=live}}
Bonella was selected for the marathon event at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Australia. He came third in the race, finishing in a time of 2:24:07.{{cite magazine| url=https://athleticsweekly.com/stats/all-time-commonwealth-games-medallists/all-time-commonwealth-games-mens-distances/| title=All-time Commonwealth Games – Mens distances| magazine=Athletics Weekly| accessdate=11 June 2021| archive-date=11 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611110117/https://athleticsweekly.com/stats/all-time-commonwealth-games-medallists/all-time-commonwealth-games-mens-distances/| url-status=live}}{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79369617/1982-commonwealth-marathon/| title=Briton Wins Marathon| work=Los Angeles Times| via=Newspapers.com| date=30 November 1962| page=51| accessdate=11 June 2021| archive-date=11 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611161547/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79369617/1982-commonwealth-marathon/| url-status=live}} Bonella fell behind the leading two runners with {{convert|5|mi|km}} to go in the race, and suffered with dehydration until the end of the race.{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79368893/rod-bonella-1994/| title=Marathon man has winning formula| work=The Age| via=Newspapers.com| date=3 January 1994| page=25| accessdate=11 June 2021| archive-date=11 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611161549/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79368893/rod-bonella-1994/| url-status=live}} In 1963, he competed in local 3000 metres steeplechase, one mile, three mile and six miles events.{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79369417/rod-bonella-1963/| title=Three-mile Test for Rod Bonella| work=The Age| via=Newspapers.com| date=19 January 1963| page=14| accessdate=11 June 2021| archive-date=11 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611161550/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79369417/rod-bonella-1963/| url-status=live}} In 1965, Bonella won an APS Old Boys' cross-country event.{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79370088/rod-bonella-1975/| title=Bonella back with a win| work=The Age| via=Newspapers.com| date=23 August 1965| page=21| accessdate=11 June 2021| archive-date=11 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611162910/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79370088/rod-bonella-1975/| url-status=live}}
Bonella retired from running in 1967, to focus on his horse training career.
Horse training career
Bonella started training horses in 1957, when he imported the horse Caynham from the United Kingdom. In 1965, Bonella bought Amourrou, a horse which had won the 1965 Churchill Stakes. Amourrou was the grandson of legendary American horse Man o' War. Later in the year, Amourrou produced a foal that was the first horse born in Australia to be directly descended from Man o' War.{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79369980/rod-bonella-man-o-war/| title=Bred to win| work=The Age| via=Newspapers.com| date=26 August 1965| page=23| accessdate=11 June 2021| archive-date=11 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611162910/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79369980/rod-bonella-man-o-war/| url-status=live}} In the 1970s, Bonella earned a licence to become a horse owner and trainer. From 1978 to 1984, Bonella took a break from horse racing, after one of his winning horses, Royal Amour, was badly injured. Rooster Hall, a horse trained by Bonella, won a 1994 race at Sandown Racecourse.{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79370386/rooster-hall/| title=Rooster Hall leaves his trainer guessing| work=The Age| via=Newspapers.com| date=23 January 1994| page=60| accessdate=11 June 2021| archive-date=11 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611162912/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79370386/rooster-hall/| url-status=live}}
Death
Bonella died of cancer on 2 April 2000, at the age of 62.
References
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Category:Australian male marathon runners
Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Australia
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Category:Australian racehorse trainers
Category:Deaths from cancer in Victoria (state)
Category:Medallists at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Category:Place of birth missing
Category:People educated at Scotch College, Melbourne