Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 54, January 2014 | Page 36

(My

Experience)

Masters
of Brazil

Images: Courtesy Leo Benning

Race Report

Five golds for
Lucas Nel (left)

The South African team that attended the 20th World Masters
Athletics Champs in Porto Alegre, Brazil in October brought back
a rich haul of medals. – BY LEO BENNING

F

our thousand athletes from 80 countries headed to Brazil for the biennial World
Champs for athletes 35 and older, and the SA team of 62 did exceptionally well to earn
82 medals, 38 of them gold. As usual, the Champs were a very pleasant experience,
although it was frustrating that most of the volunteers and helpers did not speak any
English.

Leo Benning (left) and friend.

Some of the highlights for our team saw 85-year-old Borg Stannius win all five throwing
events and the weights pentathlon in his age group, for a personal haul of six golds!
Not far behind was 90-year-old Lucas Nel, who won his 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and
1500m races. Elsa Meyer (65) and Lesley van Buuren (50) each won three walking golds
and were also in the winning 10km and 20km teams. Furthermore, Mavis Hutchison (88)
won a gold, two silver and two bronze medals in various track and field events, while
Magdalena Tomlinson (70) won a gold, a silver and two bronze medals.

From Tiny
Tots to the
Premier
Everybody was there to
move for their health, fro