Brenton Ponza
In 2016 when Brenton was inducted as a Spartan, he was 18 years old and Vice-Captain at Glenallen School Glen Waverley. He also attended the Cerebral Palsy Education Centre in Glen Waverley. He is an enthusiastic participant in a number of sports including running, swimming, bowling and hockey. 2016 was the tenth time he has completed one of the shorter events associated with the Melbourne Marathon Festival. He was honoured for this at the 2016 Annual General Meeting.
He has continued to participate in Melbourne Marathon events since 2016. In addition, he is very active in the community being awarded the 2023 Boroondara Community Youth Award for his contributions for volunteering at CPEC, BSC Gymnastics, RSPCA Burwood and Collingwood Animal Farm.
Brenton Ponza, 15 Year Singlet
Brenton is the first Honorary Spartan to have 14 finishes and therefore was presented with a 15 year singlet at the 2023 Annual General Meeting.
Brenton prepared this document for us in 2019. It shows photographs of Brenton from his early Marathon Festival days, and at the end it has a link to Brenton’s appearance on the ABC’s Gardening Show.
Brenton also features in this video created before the 2016 Melbourne Marathon Festival.
A group photo of CPEC participants before the 2010 event. Brenton is standing second from right in the middle row. His sister Vanessa is to his right. Spartans in the picture are Jane Sturzaker, Judy Wines, Grayson Summers, John Dobson and Peter Battrick.
Brenton with brother Matthew and sister Vanessa showing their finishing medals in 2007.
The picture at right of Brenton collecting donations is a reminder that CPEC is the official charity of the Melbourne Marathon. Follow this link if you’d like to donate.
CPEC friends and families support the Marathon Festival by providing volunteers on race day. About a dozen Ponza family and friends man drinks stations arriving at 4am.
Brenton collecting donations before the 2013 event.
Brenton competing in the 2014 event.
Brenton with his Dad Elvio.
A family affair, 2012: Matthew, Helen, Brenton, and Vanessa. Vanessa has walked with Brenton every year.
Finishing on the MCG, 2015. What could be better!
Brenton is a keen ten pin bowler who played in the Special Olympics Regional Bowling Games where he came 1st and won a Blue Ribbon. He has also won a bronze medal at the Special Olympics State Bowling games.
Helen says: We are a hockey family and Brenton’s sister Vanessa, who is now 15, was just awarded the Pierre de Coubetin Award by Hockey Victoria for all her efforts in this sport. Brenton would love to belong to a hockey team but cannot find one that will accommodate him so he practices when ever he can at Vanessa’s school hockey ground.
2017 Herald Sun Article
2018
2019
Brenton with David Foskey, proud that they have each completed another Melbourne Marathon festival event.
2019 was Brenton’s 13th finish.
Brenton and sister Vanessa.
Brenton was one of many who responded. Here he is, training indoors.
Support CPEC
Brenton has been helped to fulfil his ambitions through the work of CPEC, the Cerebral Palsy Education Centre. See their website here