Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 120, July 2019 | Page 56

TRACK & FIELD
things which give me more satisfaction than to see
an implement flying high and wide. I also joke that
“Running is for those who don’t know how to throw.”
In truth, I carry on because I love the sport. It gives a
purpose to my training and keeps me fit. It also allows
me to try to be the best I can, at whatever age. There
are hindrances to performance that come with ageing,
such as stiff knees, but it is still worthwhile, not only
for the sport, but for the camaraderie with friends and
other competitors. One thing that I appreciate about
Masters Athletics is that athletes support each other,
and applaud a good effort.
FRIENDLY RIVALRY
Anton Wale (centre) with his uncle, Laurie Wale, and his son Jack
minutes before the ambulance arrived to take her to
hospital. I thought that I had killed her, but fortunately
I had only broken a few of her ribs and she recovered
completely. She is a Portuguese doctor, and we still
reminisce about this incident when we see each other
at athletics meetings.
FAMILY TRADITIONS
My two younger sons (Jack and Oliver) went to St
Andrews in Grahamstown, where they both took
part in athletics. Jack was a brilliant discus thrower
and generally came second in the Eastern Province
Schools Championships. Being relatively small,
compared to his competitors, they used to look down
on him as an inferior, but when he threw, the discus
would fly. One competitor asked him, “How do you
throw so far?” and he just shrugged his shoulders
whilst spinning the discus on the end of his finger,
saying, “I just got lucky.”
I am a Zen adherent and to me throwing and running/
walking are my major meditative practices. It was with
the Zen philosophy that I taught Jack to throw. Oliver
was a reasonably good discus thrower at school, but
with him I have run half a dozen marathons. My oldest
son Richard was not a thrower, but an extremely
good cross country runner. Now we are doing walking
together.
after spinal surgery, I went on to win several Western
Province and Rhodesian titles, and gained Western
Province and Rhodesian colours in shot put and
discus. I represented the Federation of Rhodesia and
Nyasaland (now Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi) at
an international in Maputo against Portugal and South
Africa. I returned to RSA in 1964 and joined Pinelands
Athletic Club, and have been a member ever since.
I subsequently won three Western Province discus
titles and was second seven times.
DECISION TO CARRY ON
Having attained this amount of success in my junior
and senior years, I was hooked on the sport. Despite
a second spinal injury at age 30, which was fixed
this time by a fusion at age 39, I reached the age of
a Master and had to decide whether to carry on or
not. (Note that the entry age for masters has since
been reduced to 30). I decided to try it, and here I am
40 years later, still doing it. I tell everyone, “It is too
late to stop now.” I also love to throw. There are few
At the time of writing, I hold 13 Western Province
records in discus, hammer, weight throw and throws
pentathlon, which I mostly gained before Borg
Stannius got going. Since I turned 75, I have not been
able to break any of his records, but we still remain
friends. I once broke an SA record, in the discus in
the 50-54 age group, which had stood for about 17
years, but my new record was subsequently broken
by someone else about two weeks later. That’s the
way it goes.
Apart from the great enjoyment I have gained from
athletics, it has also enabled me to travel to eight
countries, and meet interesting people, like the elderly
gentleman in Brisbane throwing the hammer with
a beard that reached his waist. Athletics has also
introduced me to the world of advertising and film
shoots, which has resulted in TV adverts that have
been flighted all over the world.
Interestingly, my father ‘followed in my footsteps,’ taking
up race walking in his 60s, and he won the Simonstown
to Cape Town Big Walk. He then went to the 1989 World
Masters Athletics Championships in Hanover, Germany,
and won both the 10km and 20km races. He continued
walking competitively into his 90s.
“There are hindrances to performance that come with
ageing, such as stiff knees, but it is still worthwhile,
not only for the sport, but for the camaraderie with
friends and other competitors.”
Steve Johnston (age 80)
I have been doing athletics, mostly the throws, for the
past 65 years. I grew up in Somerset West and attended
Hottentots Holland High. In February 1954, at the age of
15, I discovered I had a certain amount of talent for the
shot put, but the polio epidemic of 1955 prevented all
sports from taking place for the next two years.
After winning the Western Province under-19 shot put
competition, I had a serious back injury at age 19, but
56
Steve
Johnston
ISSUE 120 JULY 2019 / www.modernathlete.co.za
Athletics is one of the best training disciplines
where one can learn to strive, and through effort
and dedication achieve your goals. It is a wonderful
metaphor for life in general. Do not just live life, rather
take full advantage of the wonderful gift that you have
been given – and whether you run, walk or throw,
do it with your all, to the best of your ability. Let this
same philosophy apply to your work, or anything that
you choose to do. If you do this, your whole life will
become more meaningful and satisfying.