Christine HINZMANN

For the first time in 37 years I picked up a discus. It’s that frisbee like throwing implement that is one of the field events held at track meets.

It felt great to have it in my hands again.

I decided as part of a boost to my fitness goals I would add major incentive – to be a competitor at the 2018 BC 55+ Games – that’s the new name for the Seniors Games.

It was an amazing event held last week in Cranbrook where approximately 2,500 participants gathered to compete in 28 different events.

You couldn’t wipe the smile off my face – even seconds before I put the shot, as I walked away from throwing the javelin, and especially during the athletes’ parade into the stadium during the opening ceremonies.

Because I am not at my peak physical condition by any means and the decision to compete was rather impulsive I was not sure what to enter. I knew I could enter discus and shot put, but even as a teenager the javelin – the spear – was never something I could chuck any kind of distance. And the hammer throw? Well, I had never laid a hand on one before. Back in the day girls weren’t allowed to throw that thing.

But now as an out-of-shape just turned 55-year-old, I was handed a three-kilogram metal ball on a 42-inch wire attached to a metal handle that I was supposed to fling over my head five times and let go.

I thought to myself – what could possibly go wrong?

I have to admit there were a couple of wild throws and one in particular scared the bejeezus outta me. My off-centre throw landed at the feet of my illustrious coach Tom Masich. My heart stopped. He blinked and told me to throw it again. I made sure from then on he was