Over 4000 Masters athletes from across Europe took part in the European Masters Indoors earlier this month, with 29 Scots making their mark across a range of age groups.
Athletes in age groups from 35 upwards competed at the Kujawsko-Pomoroska Arena in Torun over six days in all indoor track and field events as well as long throws, road races and cross country.
The Scottish contingent were part of the wider GB and NI squad and won a total of 24 medals claiming a number of new records on the way.
There were Scottish athletes competing in categories from 35-39 right up to 80-84 showing how accessible the sport is throughout life, there is also a wide range of experience with a strong athletics background from younger years not essential.
Ronnie Hunter competed in the 60m, 200m & 4x200m relay in Torun, winning a silver in the relay in the 60–65 year age group. Ronnie, who is also an athletics coach, says his passion for the sport is as strong as ever.
He said: “Athletics for me is about being with great, like-minded people who seek to be the best they can be in this sport.
"Working and training with Olympic level and Elite Masters has always been a joy and a privilege. Competing against the best in the world in a Team GB vest is the pinnacle of a sport I love and want to support and seeing athletes that I help go well gives joy often beyond words.”
One of the athletes Ronnie works with is Jane Scott, a Partnership Manager at sportscotland who returned to the sport to get active after having children. Jane competed in the 40-44 age group in the 60m hurdles, 60m, 200m, 4x200m relay & mixed 4x200m relay in Torun.
She said: “I returned to the sport I love a couple of years ago following a 7 year gap after having kids.
"I primarily went back as a means of moving my body again, getting some me time away from family commitments and as a way to fit myself back into my own life again.
“It’s now an important part of my identity and routine as a mum, keeping my mental health where it needs to be so I can be the mum I want to be at home. Not only do I get a lot from it physically and mentally, it’s my social space where I get to connect with like-minded people and be me again. By doing athletics, I’m more than just “mum” and I get to role model an active lifestyle to my kids, showing them that you’re never too old to have fun – and be ambitious with it.
Medal winners:
Gold Medals
Chris Upson (Cambuslang) – M65 3000m, 5k road race, individual 8k XC & team 8k XC; Stacey Downey (Edinburgh) – W35 200m, W35 4×200 relay, V35 mixed 4×200 relay; Jim Smith (Motherwell) M80 4×200 relay; Allan Leiper – M65 Shot; Darren Scott – M55 200m.
Silver Medals
Claire Cameron (Victoria Park City of Glasgow) – W65 discus; Jim Tole (Metro Aberdeen) – M50 5k road race; Jim Smith (Motherwell) M80 long jump; Stacey Downie (Edinburgh) W35 60m; Dougie Graham (Edinburgh) M45 pole vault.
Angela Kelly (Giffnock North) W65 4×200 relay; Ron Hunter (Scottish Veteran Harriers Club) M60 4×200 relay; Jacqueline Etherington (Cambuslang) W45 8k XC team; Laura Haggarty (Kilmarnock) W40 1500m.
Bronze Medals
Grant Baillie (East Kilbride) – M45 3000m; Darren Scott – V55 200m; Jacqueline Etherington (Cambuslang) W45 8k XC individual; John Thomson (Fife) M65 1500m; Andrew Brown (Lasswade) M45 1500m.
