A small contingent of South African master athletes participated in the World Masters Athletic Championship that was held from June 29 to July 10 in Finland.
Team RSA, with 25 athletes was one of the smaller squads, finished 20th on the final medal log.
The race walkers did the team proud, with most of the team members reaching the finals in their events. Some medalled and three South African masters’ records were also improved.
South African results were as follows:
• 5000m race walk track women
W.80: Hildegard Vey (gold)
W.70: Edna Brand (silver)
• 10km road walk women and men
W.80: Hildegard Vey (gold)
W.70: Edna Brand (gold, beat won of the top race walkers in this age group in the world)
W.60: Ronelle Botha (gold, hails from Glenvista)
M45: Mark Pellissier (bronze)
• Shotput men
M.50: Jady Heyns (bronze)
• 400m hurdles (both athletes from KZN and coached by Vic Vaz)
W.45: Shona Hutchinson (gold)
M.55: David Fourie (gold)
• 1 500m
W.35: Kobie Griffiths (gold, coached by Zola Budd)
• Triple Jump
M.40: Jason Sewanyana (gold, distance of 14.58m)
