DEFYING BARRIERS TO PURSUE A PASSION
Masters Athletes adorn international circuit
The inaugural Asia Pacific Masters Games was held from September 7 – 15, 2018 in the Malaysian state of Penang. The event was organised by the International Masters Games Association (IMGA).
A number of countries from the Asia Pacific region as well as guest countries participated in the Games. Sri Lanka too featured at this event. The Daily
Mirror spoke to a few of them and a common concern shared was the lack of support from the Masters Athletics Association of Sri Lanka. They were however hopeful that in the future more support towards athletes in this sphere will be given.
Among the female athletes who won medals were Nimnaz Ansar and
Sonali Wimaladasa. “I took part in two events, the 100m and 200m in the 35-40 age group and won silver medals in both events,” Ansar said while the gold was taken by Wimaladasa in the same events.
“I was an athlete while I was schooling but after school because of higher studies and kids, I stopped for some time but last year in October I did the LSR Marathon and regained the craving to run all over again,” Ansar said adding, “I did the IRONMAN (this year) which was 21kms and after that I realised I wanted to get back to my running so I started training again.” With this in mind, in March she participated in a veteran’s meet and got placed. Thereafter in June she participated in the Sri Lankan Masters event and qualified for the Asia Pacific Masters Games (APMG).
“The experience in a word was ‘amazing’ and honestly my times were better than what they were when I was in school (Methodist College) so it felt really good,” she said.
“It feels good to be training under a coach again after 20 years,” said Ansar who also added that, “I like to try out new adventures that’s why being a sprinter I ended up doing the marathon which is 21kms”.
“The message I’d like to give other women out there is that you should do what makes you happy regardless of how busy your life is because I have three kids and all of them are under the age of 12 and I’m a working mum as well. So just do what makes you happy and manage your time, after all it’s how you balance your work and your life that’s most important.”
Wimaladasa too was an athlete in school (St. Bridget’s Convent) but said she didn’t continue with the sport after school and started training again two years ago after a 17 year break. As for the APMG she said, “I didn’t know what to expect at first because it was the first time they had this event. However, my Youth Pastor from my Church also came on this trip with his family as he was competing in swimming events.”
This isn’t the first international meet that Wimaladasa has participated in, last year she took part in her first international meet – The Asia Masters Athletic Championships in Rugao, China where she won Bronze Medals in the 100m and 200m events in her age category.
“My message to anyone competing in any sport is that age truly is just a number and, there is nothing that should limit you because you are your own limit,” she said.
Wimaladasa also said she wouldn’t have been able to get this far without the support of her coach Susanthika Jayasinghe for training and guiding her over the last two years.
One of the stars for Sri Lanka at the Games was MVA Jayaratna who participated in the 80m, 300m, 100m, 400m and 250m Hurdles events in the 70-74 age group. Jayaratna went on to win Gold medals in the 80m and 300m, Silver in the 100m and 400m and a Bronze in the 250m events.
“I was an athlete while schooling (Ratnapura Nivithigala Sumana Maha Vidyalaya) and thereafter joining a bank, participated in all the interdepartment meets while I have also participated in a number of Asian meets. However the Asia Pacific Masters Games was a new experience for me because Asia aside we had to compete against countries from the Pacific as well as Russia, New Zealand and Australia,” Jayaratna said adding, “I only lost to an Australian but beat a Russian and a New Zealander. The standards were relatively high when compared with Asian meets.”
“Not really. I don’t think it is tough at all,” Jayaratna said with regard to being an athlete in his 70s, “Remember that even if you don’t do athletics seriously on a regular basis, it is best that you continue to exercise as your health both mentally and physically will improve.”
Jayaratna went on to state that he has represented Sri Lanka in the international circuit, but there was no recognition for his performances locally through any of the associations which Jayaratna felt was a let-down. “I feel there is not much effort to take the sport forward and no long term plans to develop this area of the sport.”
Christopher Joachim who won a Bronze medal in the Triple Jump (60 – 64 age group) said he competed in a number of meets while being employed at the Sri Lanka Transport Board.
“While I was there I won gold medals in the 100m, 200m and Long Jump events in Masters Athletics. I have represented the Sri Lanka Transport Board in around 12 foreign meets.”
“I participated in the Asian Masters Games for the first time in 2010,” he said adding, “We had to go on our own expense which was tough, even though I was selected for other meets I didn’t have the funding so I didn’t go.” The Triple Jump aside he also participated in the 100m and was placed sixth in his age group in the final.
“Since this was an Asia Pacific meet it was a little tough – if it were just Asia we would have been within the top three,” he said adding, “It was quite a challenge participating against countries like Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Hungary, Romania and Slovenia – I had to really give a good fight and it played on me mentally because at home I do the 100m in 13.40, but I went down to 15. On both sides of me were athletes from New Zealand, Australia and Mexico and when you look at them and their physic, you feel that when they take one step you have to take two, so it did affect me.”
Joachim said that in-spite of his set back at the APMG, he will continue to participate in as many meets as possible, “In order to do well I know that I have to improve on my time and I have to stay healthy,” adding, “I don’t even take a Disprin and I believe that exercise in vital towards good health.”
55-year-old Mahinda Lakshman was another athlete who participated in the APMG. He took part in five events in the 55-59 age group and out of the five he was placed 10th in the 10km Road Race and was awarded a medal for his achievement.
Lakshman used to work at the Colombo Dockyard but is now retired, “I have been to the Asian Games in five countries but not won any medals but was placed ninth in the 42km race and my taste for the marathon began while working at Colombo Dockyard when the Welfare would organise a marathon – I was 40 years old when I started.”
Lakshman studied at Walala Central, Kandy and would participate in the 1,500m and 5000m races while his son also does the marathon which inspired him to pursue the sport.
Gehan Dias was another medal winner at the Games. He participated in the 110m Hurdles (45-50 age group) and his effort won him a Bronze. “This was the first time I took part in an Asia Pacific meet but I have run in a few international meets in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and in Australia,” Dias said adding, “I took up athletics just to keep fit. You see, I had given up athletics when I was about 15 – 16 years old and went on to play rugby.”
“I had given up sports for about 10-15 years, but needed to start getting fit again but going to the gym was not my style because after a few weeks I would get bored with it – so to challenge myself, I started doing athletics because it is a non-contact sport and you can do it on your own – you don’t have to depend on other people like in team events – that is why I got into athletics which was at the age of 40.”
As for the APMG he said he was lucky to be at the opening ceremony. “I was supposed to take part in four events and my leave got cancelled. I ended up going for just one event and managed to go on the day of the opening ceremony. Being at the opening ceremony was a really awesome experience – because it was like watching – the Asian Games or the Olympics – with all the fanfare and with all the athletes and sportsmen from different games and countries all mingling together.” Dias missed out on his pet event that of the 100m sprint which he would technically have got placed in, “I should have got placed in the 100m and not the 110m Hurdles because the 110m hurdles is a very technical event and I hadn’t trained enough for it,” he said.
Dias added that in terms of other meets he has participated in, it was the international flavour to the whole competitor base that stood out for him at the APMG. “The person who came first was actually a former national athlete who has gone to the Asian Games and the guy I beat was a Brazilian who had been at the 1992 Olympics,” he said, adding, “Although he had not done the hurdles at that time (he does the 10km walk and run) the fact that even Olympic athletes are taking part makes it quite an experience and to be a part of it especially when you have not done athletics and challenge them and run with them is an experience and an honour.”
“For me it is all about challenging yourself – if you set your mind to it you can do anything,” he said and explained, “I can see 100’s of people walk around Independence Square or anywhere doing lots of fitness, training and going into gyms and I can tell you they train 10 times more than I do for my meets – so it’s just about attitude and mental strength to go and take part and I think for anyone it’s never too late to start.”
“Take Mr Jayaratne who is 70 plus – there were athletes who were 90 years old and a 100 year old who were taking part, so it is never too late,” Dias said. What is the barrier here in Sri Lanka in relation to sports beyond schooling? “Well one is of course time and the other is the mental block that ‘I am too old’ – but it’s not about athletics. there are other sports like tennis and swimming where there were such old people we spoke to and most of them had started sports after retirement just to keep themselves occupied so I don’t know why Sri Lankans don’t do the same.”
Dias also went on to add that Sri Lanka has done very well in the sport of athletics in the Asian circuit. In fact Sri Lanka are only below Japan and India but there’s not enough publicity and support, “As usual the associations have split into two and are at loggerheads with each other but I don’t know why people who have retired need to fight with each other because in other countries – everyone is being participative and they encourage each other and make it fun, but here it is very competitive rather than making it enjoyable to make them come and join and continue their sport.”
“I’ve seen the Singaporeans and the Malaysians they encourage everyone to come and take part and be healthy – they promote health rather than competition and to take part and come and make friends and participate, go on holidays, travel for these meets, whereas here it has become very competitive.”
He added that it is indeed a sad state of affairs because everyone puts in a lot of effort and they pay their own way and do their own training, “For example everyone would have spent Rs 35,000 for the entry fees. On top of that they have to pay for their ticket and hotel stay. So each athlete would easily have spent Rs 100,000 and all this is for the love of the sport and the love of the country because at the end of the day everyone is representing Sri Lanka,” he said adding, “There is very little recognition going to senior athletes or senior sportsmen in this country while there is a deprivation of senior athletes taking part. When they try to go, there are people putting all sorts of rules, but the association does not give money, the ministry doesn’t give money – you do everything on your own and sometimes people are there to obstruct you from going.”
Dias hopes that someday the APMG will come to Sri Lanka and hopes the associations will work towards it, “See, other countries see the benefit of bringing sport like that for tourism but here in Sri Lanka we haven’t seen the potential for Sports Tourism,” he said adding, “I went to a meet in Australia that had 30 odd sports and the meet is oriented towards sports tourism. Every night there is entertainment resulting in a fun and a lively atmosphere for people to enjoy, it is more than taking part – it is about enjoying the game.”
The message I’d like to give other women out there is that you should do what makes you happy regardless of how busy your life is because I have three kids and all of them are under the age of 12 and I’m a working mum as well. So just do what makes you happy and manage your time, after all it’s how you balance your work and your life that’s most important
My message to anyone competing in any sport is that age truly is just a number and, there is nothing that should limit you because you are your own limit
I don’t even take a Disprin and I believe that exercise is vital towards good health