Laurie still the fastest 70-plus athlete

Laurie Malcolmson at home after the NZ Masters Games with his medals and the weight he has learnt to throw.

Dannevirke athlete Laurie Malcolmson is still excelling in the sport he loves, competing in three national Masters events over the summer and beating his 70-75 age group with some remarkable performances.

It started on December 3 and 4 in the NZ Masters Athletics Championships in Wellington, competing on the track in the 60, 100 and 200m sprints, winning gold in each with a gold in the javelin and a silver in the weight throw in the field.

On January 14 and 15 he participated at Masterton in the North Island Masters Championships competing in the 60, 100, 200m sprints and the weight throw, winning golds in all and breaking the North Island record in his age group in the latter.

Most recently at Whanganui on February 5 he participated in the NZ Masters Games. This ran for a week involving all sports and once again Laurie competed in the track and field events plus discus and javelin.

With golds in all events Laurie came to the last – the 60m sprint against one opponent, a good friend. Taking a good lead Laurie was persuaded to slow down to allow him to catch up and eventually they crossed the finish line arm in arm, planning a dead heat, only for the judges to announce Laurie had come second by two hundredths of a second!

This is Laurie’s first loss in the 60m since it was introduced several years ago!

Laurie has loved athletics since training as a kid and competing later in New Zealand championships, qualifying for the Commonwealth Games in 1974 but getting injured before he could attend.

Discouraged, he quit the sport but with wife Gloria’s encouragement he resumed in 1981 and has been competing ever since, competing in national, Oceania and World Masters Games, the latter in Japan, the US, Australia, South Africa and Auckland.

He trains three times a week, twice on Mondays and Saturdays in Dannevirke at the Domain, and on Riversdale Rd, and on Wednesday at the Massey University All Weather Track and proper throwing facility.

He likes staying fit and enjoys the company of other athletes at meets who have moved up through the age grades with him.