World Masters Athletics has just released the names of their World Best Male and Female Masters athletes 2019 and what an amazing roll of honour! Do take a moment to tap into world-masters-athletics.org website and read their truly inspirational and interesting stories.
Amongst this distinguished list are: Our Olympic Race Walker and current Vice-Chair Policy and International Affairs, Ian Richards, VAC, voted Best Race Walker and Runner-up in the Best Overall Male category. Ian has already been awarded Best European Overall Male Masters Athlete of the Year
Clare Elms, VAC, becomes the first athlete, male or female, to get a double Runner-up spot in the same year since WMA started giving Awards in each discipline; here she is voted 2nd in Middle Distance and joint Runner-up in the Long-Distance category.
Donald Brown, MMAC, gets 2nd spot behind the American ace Charlie Allie in the fiercely competitive Sprints category.
Evaun Williams, SCVAC, has already been nominated European Best Female Thrower of the Year and awarded the Best Overall. Now at World level she is voted Best Female Thrower of the Year.
Do take some time to read through the superb interviews with all the athletes carried out by John Seto who does the Masters Rankings. The first thing that hits you is their sheer enthusiasm for our sport as so many of them are working for their living, raising a family or finding time to do some coaching whilst at the same time turning in such incredible performances.
Congratulations from the BMAF!
You are all a true inspiration and great ambassadors for our sport.