Sally Gibbs took up competitive running at the age of 45. Photo / Sharon Wray
Sally Gibbs took up competitive running at the age of 45. Photo / Sharon Wray
Whanganui runner Sally Gibbs has added another medal to her collection with victory at this year’s Athletics New Zealand 10,000 metre Championships in Wellington.
The 59-year-old defended her female 55-59 age group title in a time of 37.39 and finished as the tenth fastest woman overall.
She also holds the national and world records in that category.
Gibbs said putting in the training miles was the key to her success, although she was “definitely getting slower, not faster”.
She still finished far ahead of her nearest rival this year, however.
Other Whanganui runners were among the medals at the championships, with Nuala Dunne winning the female 60-64 age group race and Brian Dunne claiming silver in the men’s equivalent.
The age group (55-59) world record stands at 36.46, which Gibbs ran at the same event in 2019.
Her fastest-ever 10,000 metres came in 2012 when she won the New Zealand open women’s title in Tauranga in 34.45.
“One of the runs I’m most proud of is winning the 50th Rotorua Marathon when I was 50. That was in 2014,” Gibbs said.
That day she ran a 2:45:58 marathon time - meaning she qualified for the Boston Marathon - a highly sought-after achievement among runners.
She grew up in Whanganui but running wasn’t a part of her early life.
“I only took up competitive running at the age of 45.
“As a high school student, I actually threw sickies to avoid cross-country runs.”
She moved home from Katikati in March this year, with a completely different outlook on the sport.
The Whanganui parkrun takes place every Saturday morning on the banks of the Whanganui River. Photo / Supplied
“It was important the city had an active running scene, and it definitely does,” Gibbs said.
“There is the Wanganui Harrier Club, Athletics Wanganui, and I’m also involved with parkrun, which is a free, 5 kilometre event every weekend on the (Whanganui) river bank.”
Clubs like harriers weren’t just for elite runners, Gibbs said.
“There’s a big, active membership and it’s not about speed. People who want to do that certainly can, but our events don’t revolve around that.
“It’s a really encouraging atmosphere.”
Wanganui Harrier Club president Di Matthews said there were a lot of veteran runners in the set-up, with a lot of women.
Current membership is somewhere between 80 and 100.
The club will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025.
“I’ve been in the club for near on 15 years and there are still people here from when I joined,” Matthews said.
“I always say that if you can get your kids involved then the parents become involved.”
She said there was a misconception about just what Harriers offered.
“People think you have to be really good but in actual fact, you might just want to be out there enjoying the countryside and being with like-minded people.
“Sally is just another club member. We don’t put her on a pedestal or anything but if she can inspire others then that’s fantastic.”
The club organises the annual 3 Bridges Marathon, which will be back in person next month after being held virtually in 2021.
Matthews said numbers were up from where they were two years ago.
“I think we are tracking towards 700-odd competitors over all the categories.
“It would be great to get a few more entries in the four-person relay. That’s five kilometres each in fancy dress, just to get out and have a bit of fun.”
Next up for Gibbs is the New Zealand Masters Athletics Track and Field champs in December.
“Then we’ve got the Masters Games here in Whanganui early next year. That’s another great thing to look forward to,” she said.
