Tararua District athletes Lorraine and Eddie Warrington and Glen Hurst have returned with a “hatful of medals” from the New Zealand Masters Games in Dunedin in February.
Alternately hosted by Dunedin and Whanganui, the Masters Games this year were in Dunedin, which hosted more than 5000 athletes competing in more than 60 sporting codes ranging from athletics to swimming, badminton to lawn bowls.
The Masters Games is for athletes of masters’ age. Every sport is different regarding the age at which athletes become masters; you’re a master at age 20 in swimming and a master in most other sports by the age of 30.
The Masters Games offers both summer and winter codes. There are opening and closing ceremonies, medals are awarded, and they have a games village. You do not need to be an elite athlete to compete, and you don’t need to qualify. Anyone can register for the games – whether to win, to beat your personal best or to just participate.