Games like, woo-hoo and a warm glow
The World Masters Games end today and I’ll be sorry to see them go. We could do with more of this kind of event.
Sport is sometimes taken way too seriously in this part of the world, but the Masters Games have just been, like, woo-hoo right from Mike Mizrahi’s ‘‘giant rave party’’ opening ceremony.
If it’s top-notch athletes you wanted, there’s been plenty of big names. Sir Peter Snell played table tennis. Running legend Rod Dixon chose mountain biking, and was fizzing when he talked to us after his blatt round Woodhill Forest. He didn’t mention he’d stopped to help a bloke who’d come off his bike. He even offered to run back to the medical tent. Imagine having Rod Dixon, New York Marathon winner, Olympic bronze medallist, run for help.
Willie Apiata played for a rugby team and lost, but strangely for a huge international sporting festival, it does not seem to be about the winning of the thing at all. Everyone’s having too much fun to care.
A team of former Silver Ferns players won the gold medal in netball on Friday, but once again, not really the point.
The team called themselves the "Tea Bags" in tribute to their former teammate Tanya Dalton, who had done all the organising (it was her nickname).
Twenty eight-thousand athletes and officials, 28 sports, 45 venues and something like $30 million spent. A warm glow left behind.
Thanks, World Masters Games – and come again any time.