Athletes shine at the World Masters Games
Far North athletes have returned home with gold, silver and bronze medals from the recent World Masters Games.
Kerikeri walker/runner Corinne Smith claimed gold medals in the 1500m, 3000m and 5000m walking events in the women’s M50-55 year age group.
Bronze medals in the 1500m and 5000m runs added to Smith’s haul.
A member of the Kerikeri Striders Multisports and Whangarei Athletics Club, Smith says she was really happy with the times she posted.
The Kerikeri Striders were also represented in silver-medal winner Colin Horsfall in the M75-79 category in the 20km cycling time trial. Horsfall narrowly missed out on further medals, coming 4th in both the criterium and road race.
Fellow club member Margaret Crooke claimed silver in the M70-74 long jump and a bronze in the M70-74 100m.
Crooke says she had to learn how to hurdle and complete the high jump for the heptathlon, in which she won a silver medal.
Kerikeri netballers Diana Burgess and Susan Piertese joined the Auckland Salients team to win silver in the M45-plus category.
Opito Bay sailor Chris Sharp claimed a bronze medal in the single-handed Weta class. The Rio Paralympian competed against able-bodied athletes to claim the medal in the grand master age group.
Russell’s Dave Eastmond won gold medals in the men’s M75-79 year old 400m and 800m as well as a silver in the 1500m. Jasmine Beazley from Kawakawa, took gold in the mixed touch event.
Alison Edwards from Opua took bronze in the F50-54 cross country run and Katja Caulton took silver in the F40-44 1.5km open water swim. Karen Markin finished third in F50-54 in the 2.5km open water swim. Waka Ama paddlers from the Far North also claimed several gold medals.
The World Masters Games is the world’s largest multisport with 28,000 athletes, supports and officials from 100 countries taking part in this year’s event, which ran from April 21-30.
The Games are held every four years with 28 sports and 45 disciplines featuring at the Auckland event. Competitors as young as 25-years-old in swimming took part through to the oldest competitor at 101-years-old (Man Kaur from India).