Athletics: Pensioner shows a clean pair of heels

A fleet-footed pensioner ran a faster 100m on Saturday than many people a third her age could manage.

June Jacobs, aged 71, ran 18.9s in the athletics meeting of the South Pacific Masters Games at Hamilton's Porritt Stadium, but she was philosophical about her effort.

"I did 18.3 in Geelong a few months back," she said.

Reaching the finals of the 200m at the World Veteran Games in Brisbane last July was her proudest achievement in 24 years of veteran athletics.

Her weekly training schedule includes two track sessions, a visit to the gym and a swim, but she said many of her competitors put in much longer hours.

Jacobs, who has held several senior administration roles in veteran athletics, said young people needed to realise that people could compete as they got older.

"If you look around here you'll see everybody looking slim and fit, so an active life has got to be good for you."

- NZPA