Hanekom lining up for World Masters Games in Auckland

Masters athlete Gideon Hanekom is getting ready for the World Masters Games in Auckland. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Gideon Hanekom is in full training ahead of the World Masters Games in Auckland, looking a far cry from four years ago.

The South African-born high performance consultant weighed 117kg four years ago and decided to get back into shape by competing in athletics.

"My health was in trouble and I was silently killing myself with my food choices and lifestyle. Fortunately, and perhaps through some divine intervention, I decided to change my life insurance company which required new blood tests," he said.

"These tests revealed that everything wasn't that kosher in my body and I needed to make some drastic and immediate changes.

"I used to run senior athletics in South Africa while I was at university, and life got in the way and put on weight.

"But then I got married and became a dad so I got back into athletics and then dropped the weight."

Now weighing a leaner 87kg and back sprinting, Hanekom holds the North Island 60m M35+ record with a time of 7.64secs, though he said he has also run a 7.48secs.

Hanekom said the training is becoming a lot more intense the closer he gets to the Worlds as well as his continuing coaching of other athletes.

"I train about six days a week, sometimes multiple times a day. I do a bit of indoor training - a lot of plyometric training, strength training, that sort of thing," he said.

"Obviously I also do track work and then I play touch in Kamo.

"I'm coaching kids, mainly long distance runners, and I work on their speed. I also coach a couple of masters ladies.

"I believe in leading from the front so if I can do it ... I always say to the guys I don't make you do anything I couldn't do so I test all the reps and exercises myself and it is a lot easier if you're actually still doing it yourself."

Through his work and athletics, Hanekom was able to meet an idol of his and a world record holder in long-jumper Mike Powell.

"Mike's a childhood hero of mine so meeting him was pretty cool. I thought he was in excellent shape for his age [late 50s]. Very nice guy, a lot taller than I thought," he said.

"He signed one of my spikes which I compete in so they have his name and his world record jump length on them. I always run in them, my golden boots if you will."

Hanekom hopes that his athletic prowess, given his age range, will inspire others.

"To me the Masters events is a great way to provide a good example to my kids, wife and friends. My focus is to show what's possible," he said.

"Age is just a mindset and you find that out quickly when you're around older people who compete.

"I don't think just because you are old, it doesn't mean you're over the hill. When you go to these Masters events - and this one will be no different - just being around people in their 70s and 80s who are competing and still crushing it, to me that's a sign of what's possible with the right mindset and you're willing to put in the hard yards and look past the excuses."