Westville’s senior race-walker breaks world record
Highway race walkers who took part in the SA Race Walking Championships did exceptionally well with 82 year-old Gill Tregenna winning a gold medal and breaking a world record.
THE KwaZulu-Natal race-walking team flew down to Cape Town to take part in the SA Race Walking Championships held at Youngsfield Military Base.
Four Highway athletes were included in the team – Gill Tregenna from the Westville Athletics Club; Oliver Mundell and Belinda Padbury from the Kearsney Striders Athletics Club, and Wayne Snyman from the Clyde Kinloch Club.
Tregenna not only won gold in the 80–85-year-old age group for her 20km but smashed the world record at the same time. The previous record set in 2013 was 2 hours 42 minutes, and Gill’s new record is 2 hours and 37 minutes.
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Padbury also excelled at the champs, winning the woman’s open 10km race in a personal best time of 00:58:30. Oliver Mundell had an incredible race and placed fourth in the men’s open 10km race in a time of 1 hour, 5 minutes, earning himself the gold medal in the 70–75-year-old age group.
Snyman won the men’s open 20km race in a time of 1 hour, 24 minutes, seven minutes ahead of second place.
The Highway Mail caught up with Tregenna who said she was pleased she set a new record. The 82-year-old said she did road running and cross country for 40 years but had to give up due to an injury.
She started race-walking in August 2023 under coach Oliver Mundell, and a few months after she took up the sport, she broke South African and African 10km records in November 2023 at the Africa Championships.
“I have run for KZN Athletics many times in 10km, 21km and cross country, obtaining medals in all the events.”
She was also actively involved in competitive swimming.
“For more than 30 years, I took part in the SA Masters and have swum in three world championships. I have held a few records and obtained medals. I also did the SA Biathlon Championships, winning gold 13 times. I have also won various medals in the World Life Saving Champs.”
Tregenna’s sports journey is evident with many medals and certificates in her home. She is a retired teacher and taught mainly at Westville Girls’ High School. She also worked in virology research in London.
Although she broke a world record in race-walking, the talented Tregenna said she would still like to improve her time.
She is a mother of two and a grandmother of two grandchildren.
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