Rosemary Mula is way cooler than you. She’s an Olympic volunteer. She went from being an aspiring Olympic hurdler when she was only a little younger than some of the children she mentored to a devoted volunteer, providing lasting benefits between several Olympic Games. Mula immigrated to Australia at 15 in 1956. Since then, she has worked every day to inspire us all with her determination and still-gaining momentum commitment to the Olympics.
Athletic dreams
Born and raised in the idyllic rural countryside of England, Mula’s childhood was awash with visions of sports success. She envisioned herself as an Olympic hurdler, love for the sport having blossomed during her developmental years. As she moved to university and forward into adulthood, she accepted that dream of an Olympian was not going to come true. She recognized this, took a turn in her life and concentrated on becoming an educator turning that passion for competition into inspiring young and future leaders.
Mula’s life would never be the same after she got a taste of the excitement and opportunity at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. It was a serendipitous meeting with the Brazilian triple jump star Adhemar Ferreira da Silva that most inspired her. From seeing Ferreira da Silva receive a gold medal on the podium, she felt that her deep love for the Olympic spirit was complete. Years later, living in Singapore, when she spotted him again, it was a powerful reminder of her own Olympic dreams.
Her career as a volunteer began in 1992, when Mula first volunteered for the Sydney Olympics. This was the beginning of seven-year commitment that crossed multiple Olympic Games. Her commitment and passion for science made her a ‘super-volunteer’ in the eyes of fellow participants. She played an essential role in shaping the volunteer culture around the Olympics, contributing to Sydney’s reputation for outstanding volunteerism.
Mula has been a hands-on leader in every Olympic engagement since the early 1990s. She is deeply appreciative of her journey. “I said to him, ‘Adhemar, I was never an Olympian but I’ve had seven years of the most amazing Olympic journey as a volunteer, but my journey is over.’ And he took my face in his hands and he said, ‘Rosemary, your Olympic journey is not over. You must find a way,’” she recalled.
Her time as a volunteer has definitely been focused on service, but building enduring friendships has equally characterized her service experience. But yes — we created really meaningful connections through these games. We were strangers before 1992, but those lived experiences united us,” Mula emphasized. But the relationships built through these gatherings grew to be a vital aspect for her soul.
Mula’s impact goes beyond her individual journey, encouraging younger generations with the message to keep going. “Don’t let any adult – teacher, parent, family, friend – tell you you can’t do something. If you want to write music, or write stories or be an actor or an athlete, you can. It won’t happen if you sit on your bottom. You have to get up and do something to make it happen,” she advises.
Even as she approaches her 80s, Mula continues to deeply process her experiences as a volunteer. She understands the deep role it has played in her life and the lives of others. She is the first to admit that the landscape of volunteerism has changed, but it’s just as important as ever. “We were just not prepared to lose what we had created together,” she reiterated. There, she went on to highlight the positive legacy of volunteerism that Sydney built with their Olympic Games.
When she thinks about her prospects for future Olympics, Mula is both hopeful and grounded. “We’ll see. I asked a friend of mine who is much younger and I said, ‘Should we do Brisbane?’ And he said, ‘I’ll look for accommodation.’ And I said, ‘Make sure it’s wheelchair accessible,’” she remarked with a sense of humor about her potential future role.
Mula knows that, while her time volunteering may be coming to a close soon, the experience of her Olympic journey will always remain with her. “Realistically, this is the last. Because once we get to 2030, the next big milestone, everybody will be looking to Brisbane 2032. Sydney will be past history,” she observed.
