Northern Masters mine gold

Northland Masters' athletes excelled at the New Zealand Championships, exceeding all predictions with their huge haul of medals and New Zealand records.
The team of 12 athletes, ranging from 40 to over 80 years, scored 35 gold, 16 silver and 11 bronze medals, as well as breaking five New Zealand records in Hastings from March 4-7.
In the 50-54 age group 1500m, Ian Calder created some excitement when he led for three laps before being passed by Taranaki's Robin Grant on the bell. Tucking in behind Grant around the bend, Calder challenged on the back straight, but did not quite have the legs to make a break. He challenged again in the final straight, only to be narrowly held out by Grant in just over 4min 22sec, with Calder recording 4:22:51.
Although he won gold in the 800m and 5000m, Calder rated his 1500m performance more highly. "I felt I earned the silver," he said.
Showing remarkable energy and ability for her age, Ngawini Pepene - competing in the 80-84 women's grade - won gold in the discus, shot, weight pentathlon, javelin and hammer.
Barbara Austin, 66, broke her own national weight-throw record set at the recent Northland Masters' Championships, and completed a clean sweep of golds in the shot, discus, hammer, javelin and weight pentathlon, as well as the weight throw.
Nancy Bowmar, W50-54, jumped 1.20m for gold in the high jump, also breaking the record that she established in the Northland Championships. She added to her medal tally with silvers in the long jump, triple jump and 200m, and bronze in the 100m.
Long-time athletics enthusiast, Colleen Brunker (79), competing in the W75-79 grade, won gold in the hammer throw, breaking the national record. She also won golds in the weight throw, discus, shot and weight pentathlon, and silver in the javelin.
Northland Masters' president Val Babe (W70-74) added to the teams' medal count with golds in the discus and hammer throw and silver in the weight throw; while Jenny Hastie (W55-59) won silver in the shot, hammer, weight throw and weight pentathlon as well as bronze in the discus.
Clasina van Der Veeken, almost 80 but still full of energy, competed in 13 W75-79 events, winning golds in the 200m, triple jump,1500m, long jump, and pentathlon.