Wanganui athlete wins gold four times on his 40th birthday

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On Saturday 15th October, 40 year old Gary Johnston from Wanganui won gold in four sprint events at the South Island Masters Games on his birthday.

He competed in the 40-44 age group and won Gold in the 60m sprint with a time of 8.18 secs; Gold in the 100m sprint with a time of 13.00 secs; Gold in the 200m sprint with a time of 26.90 secs; and Gold in the 400m with a time of 58.86 secs.

This is Gary Johnston’s fourth masters games, but first South Island Masters Games. This year in Wanganui at the New Zealand Masters, he also won gold in all of his events.

He says it was great to do so well on his birthday.

“It felt good to be this old and still go that fast,” Johnston says. “In all four races I also got personal bests, so it seems I am getting older and faster.”

He also competed in the Moutere Must Cycling road race yesterday coming first equal (but getting a silver medal as only one gold can be awarded), and he is racing in the triathlon next Saturday, and for fun the social petanque, which runs over Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Photo credit: www.shuttersport.co.nz

Background: NZCT South Island Masters Games 2011

2011 is the first time the NZCT South Island Masters Games have been held in Nelson, utilising the region’s world-class million Saxton Field complex for the games administration and sporting events. The games will now alternate each year between Nelson and Timaru.

Athletes will compete in traditional Olympic sports such as Shooting, Cycling, Swimming and Athletics, along with a huge array of team events such as Netball, Volleyball, Basketball and Touch. For the talented, but perhaps not-so-active, there is Pool, Snooker, Mini-golf and even cards, with Euchre and Cribbage also available. Adding to the excitement of the games, new events such as Disc Golf, Ultimate, Motocross, Kart Racing and the Ocean Swim have been added to the events list.

The Games is more than a sporting event - it is a cultural event with a major social element to it - across the nine nights, a range of entertainment, including dancing, live performances and music will be held for all. Participants come to party, network, find an interest and test themselves in physical competition, all in the interests of mental and physical wellbeing. The Masters Games helps promote the ‘Masters movement,’ and aims to get more people participating in sports.

The South Island Masters Games has received funding for this year’s event from the New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT), the largest funder of amateur sport in New Zealand, and from the Nelson Events Marketing & Development Programme, which is funded by the Nelson City Council to stimulate Nelson City’s economy.

ENDS

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