Harriers’ Paul takes gold down under
A Cambuslang Harriers runner who only started running in his 40s picked up two World Masters Championship titles.
Paul Thompson took gold in both the M60 5km track race and M60 half- marathon following impressive performances in Australia.
The retired doctor took part in a series of races in the M60 category, for those aged 60 to 65, and helped the British half- marathon team to victory in his first ever World Masters Championships.
Paul, who has run with the Harriers for the past three years, was first to cross the finish line in the 5000m in 18 mins 28.86 secs.
In the half- marathon he maintained a steady pace to overtake a dominant Kenyan and finished the 13-mile race in one hour, 23 minutes.
Paul joined Harriers runners Colin Feechan, Archie Jenkins and Lynne Marr in Perth.
He said: “It is the pinnacle of my running career. It’s a great feeling to win the Masters.
“I had never been in a big competition like that before.
“The marathon was on the last day of competition and it was along the banks of the River Swan in Perth, a beautiful location.
“It started at 6.30am. It heated up and towards 8am it was about 27 degrees. The times were slower because of the conditions.”
Paul Thompson won the M60 Masters titles in the 5k and halfmarathon.
However, his one hour, 23 minute time was the best in a truly international field of competitors, with runners from Africa, America, South America and Australia taking part.
The win marks two decades of hard work for Paul, who only began running in his 40s to keep fit.
The 60-year- old said: “I took up running when I was about 40 just to fight off middle age.
“I suppose you become a bit addicted to it. I started to keep fit and then I ran every day.
“Now it’s part of my schedule. I don’t even think about it.”