Masters
Sydney is currently hosting the World Masters Games. Like the 2000 Olympics, however, there’s not much in it for cabbies as participants receive free public transport. Bugger.
Early yesterday morning I collected a Canadian couple from St Vincent’s Hospital where the woman had been treated for torn knee ligaments. A middle-aged soccer player she’s now facing weeks on crutches. They were somewhat disappointed as a planned holiday in Cairns after the Games looks doubtful.
Last night an elderly gent hailed me at Edgecliff station after spending the day training at the Olympic Aquatic Centre. He is a member of the Australian diving squad, despite only having previous competitive experience as a young fella. If nothing else, I thought, the bloke’s got guts.
When he revealed that he was competing in the 70-79 age group, I remarked there was hope for me yet. “That’s nothing,” he chuckled. “Today a 100 year old woman threw the shot put over four metres!”
A farmer from northern New South Wales he prepared for the Games by travelling down to Newcastle to train in a diving pool. I joked that he should've gone to The Blue Hole and dived off a gum tree. He laughed, “Nah, I don’t mind the travelling, it’s better than drenching sheep.” Quite.
Thus Cablog is adopting this passenger, John Payne as our official Masters competitor. Although he reckons, "I’ll probably do no good after seeing the Yanks train", to me he looks in pretty good shape for his age.
Results will be posted through the competition, starting tomorrow. Go John !
(According to Google, John is the father of a well-known Wallaby)
UPDATE: As John predicted, the Americans proved too strong and pipped him out of the medals to fourth place in both the one and three metre springboard events. Though I'm sure this is a minor concern for John who seemed more interested in just competing, like most Masters. Well done.
Competitive instincts - it's in the genes....
Posted by: AG Canberra | October 14, 2009 at 04:55 PM