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Going the Distance

^{Casey-Ann Seaniger | DECEMBER 2009}

The uniqueness of the World Masters Games is set within each and every one of the 28,292 competitors.

From ex-NBL players and ex-Olympians who have reached the highest levels in their sport, to the great grandmother competing in her first Games, they all have their own story to tell.

They actively embrace the motto of the Games: ‘fit, fun and forever young’.

But most of all they share the belief that age, disability or a life full of hard knocks is no barrier to achieving their personal best.

Over nine days in October, the Sydney 2009 World Masters Games attracted 28,292 competitors from 95 countries, making it the world’s largest ever multi-sport event.

Competitors took part in more than 30 sports with football, swimming and athletics proving the most popular.

But the Games also catered to the smaller sports like sailing, where Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark made a splash, as well as sports such as orienteering, table tennis, lawns bowls and weightlifting - where 80-year-olds were aiming to pull off their heaviest lift.

The World Masters Games began in Toronto, Canada in 1985 and the number of competitors is now double than that of the Olympics.

Twenty-four year old Canadian swimmer Facundo Chernikoff was the youngest competitor, and two Australian centenarians, 101-year-old lawn bowler Reg Trewin and 100-year-old athlete Ruth Frith, were the oldest.

Competitors had the opportunity to soak up the village atmosphere of Homebush Bay where the 2000 Sydney Olympics were held, as well as take part in many social events.

Squash player Albert Armstrong, 68, who read the oath at the opening ceremony, said the Games were about ordinary people taking part in extraordinary experiences.

“There’s a very small majority of people who are here to win medals,’’ he said.

“It’s about giving it go, no matter where you’re from, or how old you are, and it’s about making friends and having fun.”

Reporter Casey-Ann Seaniger speaks to two faces of the Games and a team of hockey players giving it their all.

Jean Ritter

Even Jean Ritter believes she is a little “insane” to take up competitive running at the slightly mature age of 80.

What’s even more interesting about the 83-year-old great grandmother is her competitive nature which got her to the World Masters Games.

Three years ago in the first competitive race of her life at the Alice Springs Masters Games, Jean tore her calf muscle early on in her first race.

But it never occurred to her to stop so she ran the whole race with a torn calf muscle for 90m and despite the agony, she limped away with a silver medal.

At the World Masters Games, Jean competed in the 100m and 200m races against athletes from South Africa and Finland and scored a personal best in the 100m event.

Jean’s daughter, Shelley Farlow, and another family member, Heather Olm, travelled to Sydney to cheer her on.

“Most of her fellow competitors have been professional runners all of their lives but you can’t really start at 80 and become a world champion in three years,’’ Shelley laughed. “But you can give it a damn good try,’’ Jean added.

Shelley says her mum’s commitment and determination was amazing.

“She is an absolute inspiration to all in our family and is an excellent example of how active and competitive you can still be no matter what your age if your outlook is positive,” Shelley said.

“Sometimes it will be late in the afternoon and I’ll drive past the local oval and there is mum on her own charging around this track,’’ Shelley said. “She’s also a carer for her sister so once she finishes training she goes home and cooks and looks after her sister.

“She doesn't belong to any athletics club or receive any specialised training – it’s just her own efforts that have got her to where she is at the moment.”

Jean’s motto in life is if you are going to do something, you must do it well.

“You need to put your heart and soul into it, otherwise what’s the point?”

“It’s also about feeling young, well, pretending to,’’ she laughed.

Jean trains seven days a week except for an occasional rest day which Shelley says sums up her mum just perfectly.

“On her rest day mum puts her iPod on and gets on her exercise bike - that’s what Mum thinks a rest is,’’ Shelley chuckled, raising her eyebrow. “Doesn’t every 83-year-old have an exercise bike in their house?”

Carl Hebel

There’s nothing ordinary about 70-year-old Queenslander pensioner Carl Hebel, also known as the ‘swag man’.

Carl made headlines at this year’s Games by getting an early start on the competition, walking 1110-kilometre from his home in Gympie to Sydney Olympic Park.

A veteran of many walks, including one from London to Athens, Carl competed in the half marathon, 10km, 1 mile and 8km cross country in the 65-69 years category.

The softly-spoken former Pennsylvanian, who walks with a slight limp, doesn’t blink once when he talks about taking the 1110km walk.

“That’s nothing, that’s a short walk for me,’’ he claimed. “Queensland to Melbourne is a pretty good distance; I’ve done that for a charity walk before.”

“But my favourite walk/run was the 3000km from London to Athens in a bid to get the Olympic Games for the Greeks - and it worked - they got the bid (in 1997).

“While others stayed in upmarket hotel rooms, Carl carried everything he needed on his back and slept on his swag under the stars.

The proud Aussie, who loves to don his Akubra hat, said Australia was the greatest place in the world.

His appreciative attitude towards life may be related to his near death experience 16 years ago when he contracted the deadly dengue fever.

Carl was unable to walk and in agonising pain when we got the worst possible news from his doctor.

“The doctor gave me pills and said ‘there is nothing you can do, you’re going to die’,’’ he said.

“I shoved the pills back on the table and said to him, ‘tough luck, I’m going to beat this and I am going to start running’.

“The doctor said, ‘how can you run if you can’t even walk’ and for me, I just set out on a 100km walk, I just jogged through the pain.”

It’s clear everyone could take a leaf out of Carl Hebel’s book.

“Years later my doctor did a study on my physique and said I have the body of a 35-year-old. I used to joke that I was 42 until they let me into bars,’’ he laughed.

“But I really believe that I am half of my age,” he said, with a wide-eyed smile etched on his face. “Walking and running is the best thing anyone can do for themselves.”

Black and Blues

This team of New Zealand hockey players don’t call themselves the black and blues for nothing.

While New Zealand and Auckland hockey’s colours are a combination of black and blue, their team name more closely reflects the feeling of players after five days of competition.

Co-captains Anne Harkness, 60, and Ali Davidson, 55, said the team name was about feeling a little ‘beaten up’ after competing in a big tournament.

“The team name is a pun on what we normally feel like at the end of a hockey tournament week,’’ Ali joked. “But yes it also represents our team colours of black for New Zealand and blue for Auckland.”

Only two months out from the World Masters Games, the team was riddled with injuries.

“As a team we had knee troubles, a hamstring injury, a calf muscle strain, a back injury and some other hiccups,’’ Anne said. “When you hit 50, it certainly takes longer to heal, but we do keep ourselves fairly fit so that helps.”

The team has an average age of 55 to 60 years and players enjoy the competitive and social side to the Games.

“Some of us have been playing against each other for 30 years so the Games are a great opportunity to come away and represent New Zealand,” Anne said.

“We are serious in that we want to play good hockey and competitive hockey but it’s not about just winning,’’ Ali explained.

“The camaraderie of the whole Games is fabulous and it’s such a great thing to be a part of.”