It was medals galore for our Masters athletes at the British Masters Track and Field Champs in Derby at the weekend with a total of 6 golds, 4 silvers and 2 bronzes between the seven athletes. The amazing Julia Machin came home with not just two golds, but also a new V55 high jump World Record!
Well done to you all!
Julia Machin (w55): HJ Gold and World record 1.64, Gold in TJ
Jo Wilding (W50) : Silver in HJ, Silver in 300H, 4th in 80H
Stef Dornbusch (W55) : 4th in 100, Bronze in 200, Gold in PV
Tracey Brockbank: Gold in Javelin, Bronze in TJ, 4th in Hammer
Kevin Baker (M60) : Silver in Javeline, 7th Discus
Gary Pullen (M60) : Gold in Discus, Silver in Shot
Paul Howard, M45: 7th in 1500, Gold in 800m
Pictured above Tracey Brokebank (Javelin gold) and Gary Pullen, discus gold
These Championships come at the end of a busy season for our masters athletes. With our Women’s team once again winning the Sussex Vets League.
Here is a report of the Sussex League from Team Manager, Jo Wilding
“Brighton women won the Masters League again, winning 3 of the four matches, despite a couple of matches with a really tiny team. All four matches were at Lewes this year, after some shifts in organising responsibilities.
Tracey Brockbank was a very welcome addition to the W60 team, following a big birthday, joining Judith Carder, and took on everything from the throws to sprints and long, triple and high jump, while Judith divided her time between distance running, walking and officiating. Julia Downes took on a whole range of new events including throws and a very brave 400. The distance ladies smashed it out of the park as ever, with Paula Blackledge, Jen Kenneally, Linda Schofield, Amelia Culshaw, Kathleen Law dividing up everything from the 400s to the 5ks between them as well as filling in sprints and jumps and awesome relay legs when needed. It was lovely to welcome a few first-timers to the team including Aliki Hiestermann, Gayle Tyler and Kristin Sehmi. Julia Machin hopped over a height that would have equalled the W55 high jump world record only a week earlier (before she broke it) and then narrowly missed out on a new record, while Stefanie Dornbusch covered her usual phenomenal range from pole vault to sprints, jumps and throws.
The events happen on weekday evenings, with roughly half of the events in each match. It really is the friendliest and least judgey league and everyone aged 35 or over is welcome, even if you’ve never competed before – you just need to be a club member. Plenty of people fill in events they’ve never tried before to get a point. Come and have a chat if you think you might be interested. We always need officials too, if you want to join us without doing any running and jumping!”
