Thompson enjoys amazing success as a runner
Bible Hill man earns two gold, two silver at national 55-plus games in Ontario
As a young boy growing up in Montreal, Gower Thompson was inspired by a radio broadcast.
“I was listening to coverage of the Olympics on the radio,” Thompson, 80, of Bible Hill, recalled. “I wondered what it would be like to compete and win a gold medal.”
In late August, Thompson won the 10-kilometre race in his age group during the Cobequid Trail Run. His gold-medal winning time was an impressive 62 minutes.
“The weather was beautiful the day of the race,” said Thompson. “The ground was soft and all the runners were in a good mood. I really enjoyed the run, it was the third time I participated in the Cobequid Trail Run. I was pleased with my performance.”
Thompson was amazing during the Canada 55 Plus Games held in Brampton, Ont., in
mid-August. He won gold medals in the 1,500 metre and the 800 metre while earning silver medals in the javelin and the discus.
“I was very happy with how things went in Brampton. I felt great. It was my first national competition, my first time competing against athletes from all over Canada. There were between 15 and 20 runners in both the 1,500 metre and the 800 metre – it was very nice to come first. The temperature was around 32 Celsius but I wore a cap and had no problem.”
Ruth Thompson, Gower’s wife, recalled watching her husband compete in the 2013 Canada 55 Plus Games in Truro.
“I wanted to be there for support,” Ruth said. “Gower did really fantastic. When I looked at some of the youngsters, I was especially proud that Gower was competing. Gower has always taken good care of himself, he works out regularly, he eats properly and Gower doesn’t smoke.”
In the 2013 event, Thompson won gold medals in the 1,800, 1,500, 600, 400 metre and the long jump events. He placed third in the 10-kilometre run.
Thompson fondly recalls March of 2014 and an event at the Best Western Glengarry in Truro. The Truro Sport Heritage Society presented Thompson with the 2013 outstanding senior male athlete award.
“It was something I never expected,” Thompson said. “I was honoured.”
Thompson, who stands fivefoot-11 and weighs 130 pounds, reflected back to a time he was even slimmer.
“When I was 15 attending Maisoneve School in Montreal I was extremely thin and light, I weighed around 95 pounds. I ran the four-man relay and later trained to run a marathon, 26 miles, 385 yards. I started out running five miles and worked up.
“When I got to 20 miles it was like hitting a brick wall. I trained for four years before I ran my first marathon. I ran country roads, up hills and down hills.”
Thompson received a bronze medal running the Montreal International Marathon in 1983. The next year, his time of 3:32.00 earned him a silver medal. After another silver medal in 1985, his 1986 time of 2:45.00 minutes brought him a gold medal.
Thompson moved to Toronto in late 1986 and although he continued body-building and biked 10 to 20 miles daily, he took a considerable break from running. Moving to Nova Scotia in 1992, he began to train to run again.
“About 2006, I increased running,” Thompson told me. “I participated in the 2006 Canada Day 10K run in Halifax. I finished first in my age group and I have actually been increasing my participation since then. I like to compete against other athletes to see how I can do.”
Thompson worked for more than 20 years for a Montreal company, Shamrock Brand.
“We produced lady’s sportswear, I was a cutter. In Toronto, I operated a forklift in a lumber yard. Here in Nova Scotia I looked after an apartment building for Garry Pye Real Estate and I was on the counter at Truro Superstore.”
There have been many running accomplishments for Thompson – he won Canada Day gold medals in 2007 and 2008 in Halifax and he won the Johnny Miles five-kilometre race in New Glasgow in 2015. As for what’s ahead, there’s no hint of the amazing runner slowing down.
“In 2017, the Canada 55 Plus Games will be held in Lunenburg,” Thompson said. “I plan to compete.”