The New South Wales Masters Championships were held on the weekend at Homebush and there were some outstanding performances by these athletes who give it 110%. The masters are an important part of any club and certainly Athletics New South Wales. Illawarra Blue Stars have always been strong supporters of Masters’ athletics and our athletes, at all times, are among the best in the State and this year they have once again proved this to the rest of the State.
How good is to see people making a bit of a comeback after a number of years away from the competitive scene, or an athlete who has suffered illness and returns to the scene once again. It is great to see a young masters’ “rookie” become one of the best in her age bracket, whilst it is great see people taking part in the sport due to the love of sport and picking up a medal in the process.
This happened to IBS athletes this year, but how good is to see a master’s athlete who has spent most of her life on an athletic track and still performing well enough to take out 5 gold medals.
This is what Masters athletics is all about, it is about sportsmanship, courage, determination and commitment to a sport they all enjoy and love.
Blue Stars had a good team of athletes in this year’s titles and it is great to see these people will be encouraging others to take up the sport at a later age, have fun, have success, and enjoy it.
The outstanding male from IBS has to be the ‘master of our sport’ but young at heart, John Lamb (70-74). John is set for the nationals and has come away with 1st in short hurdles in State record time, 1st in 300m hurdles, 1st in 100m, 1st in 400m, 1st in 60m and 1st in 200m. A fabulous effort against some quality fields.
Outstanding female was “rookie Masters” Lisa Quinn 40-44 who has made a transition from hockey to combine with her athletics. Her wins in the long jump and triple jump were a great bonus to her but her sprints with 2nd in the 100m, 2nd in 200m and 2nd in 60m bridging the gap each time, was great to see, and highlights she will be a threat come the national titles in late March/April.
Field Games exponent Mary Thomas 75-79 knows she has work to do prior to Nationals but Mary thrives on a challenge and come Nationals she is sure to be up there on the podium. She came home with 1st in javelin,1st in shot, 1st in hammer, 1st in discus and 1st in the weight throw.
Great to see sprinter Gianna Mogentale 55-59 back in this form of high competition and her 1st in the 400m was impressive, but her 2nd in 100m, 2nd in 60m, 1st in 200m and 1st in triple jump, shows you can never write off a champion. She too, knows she has work to do to be once again on the top dais for her sprints, but this will come after a series of injuries she is just over coming.
June Lowe 65-69 is one impressive masters athlete and like her fellow club mates, she puts 110% effort into every event she contests. Her determination and love of the sport saw her take 1st in the javelin, 1st in long jump, 2nd in hammer, 2nd in 100m, 2nd in 60m, 2nd in weight throw and 2nd in hammer. Her return to top competition has given her the rewards she so greatly deserves.
Rina Flynn 55-59 is also one gutsy competitor, and she admits she loves the sport and the friendship that she has made over a period of time in our club and the sport. Rina puts in top efforts in all her events and possibly is in one of the highly contested age brackets. A 3rd in the 800m was a just reward for hard work, while she placed 7th in 100m, 4th in 400m, 5th in 200m and 5th 60m.
Andrew Rodda 50-54 had one of most contested men’s sprints on the program but came away with 4th in 100m (after a dispute with the start of this event), 2nd in 400m, 5th in 60m and 4th in 200m. Andrew is a great worker for the club, and the community with his thoughts of his commitment towards the floods and his commitment through his work towards helping the people of the flood effected areas.
Colin Clarson 55-59 is one of the calmest and collected masters athletes around, but one who is committed to the sport. His injury at country robbed him of placings, but he made up for it with a great 2nd in the 400m, 4th in the 200m and 5th in the 60m against some of the best masters athletes, not only in NSW but Australia.
Overall the masters of our club have had a great championships and with some heading to the Nationals, others will finish off the season in a couple of weeks, knowing they have performed to the best of their ability over the three days of these highly contested NSW titles.