The Greyhounds Masters Track and Field Club hosted the BC Masters Track & Field Championships at Bear Creek Park over the weekend.
Held Aug. 21-22 and open to people aged 35 and over, the event featured hurdles, running, steeplechase, discus, triple jump, high jump and more.
SEE MORE: In their golden years, Surrey’s Greyhounds run, jump, walk and throw for records
The following account of the meet was written and submitted by Harold Morioka, coach and co-founder of the Greyhounds club:
“After provincial restrictions due to COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the 2020 BC Masters Track and Field Championships, it was great that we were able to have this meet this year. The 2021 BC Masters Championships were hosted by the Greyhounds Masters Club on Aug. 21-22, at Bear Creek Park in Surrey.
“The pole vault competition was held two weeks earlier during the Greyhounds Multi-Events Meet at North Surrey Secondary School. The meet attracted 164 athletes who entered 443 individual events and 9 relay. For the first time, sub-masters (30-34) were invited to enter, but as non-championship guests. Only a small number of sub-masters competed but perhaps many more will enter in the future.
“Blessed with good weather both days, mostly sunny with temperatures around twenty degrees, the meet generally ran well. Unfortunately the wind gauge was not properly set up for the first race (womens 80m hurdles) where there were two excellent results which would have been new BC Masters records. This race was rerun after about fifteen minutes. With huge numbers in the throwing events and with the Electronic Distance Measurement (E.D.M.) device malfunctioning a few times, the throwing events got slightly behind schedule. But overall the meet was very successful.
“There were many excellent results with the athletes breaking nine Canadian and 24 BC Masters records. David Guss broke two M60 Canadian records, the 3000m (9:52.30) and 2000m steeplechase (7:08.81). Three athletes broke their own Canadian records: Renate Cheetham broke her own 3000m race walk record (24:16.51), Myrtle Acton improved her W85 hammer record (22.33m) and Marek Glowacki improved his M80 shot put record (11.93m). Mark Pinckard ran an excellent race, breaking the M60 800m (2:10.77) and Harnek Toor broke the M75 weight throw record (15.34m).
“Two relay teams now possess Canadian Masters records. The relay team of Paul Reimer, Doug Henderson, Brent Scott and David Guss broke the M60 4x800m relay record (10:37.46) and the W75 relay team of Cherry Graf, Christa Bortignon, Marg Radcliffe and Avril Douglas set a new Canadian standard in the 4x100m relay (1:19.88).
“Breaking BC Masters records on the track were: Karl Mey M85 400m (1:32.68), Janette Wood W60 1500m (5:42.10), Carol Montgomery W55 3000m (11:28.68), Cindy O’Brien Hugh W60 80m hurdles (14.98), Laurie Ritchie W60 300m hurdles (1:09.84), Arthur Gee M75 2000m steeplechase (13:21.07) and Halimah Beaulieu W35 3000m steeplechase (10:36.40).
“Field event athletes broke five BC Masters records. They were: Karin Adande W35 triple jump (8.36m), Patty Szybunka W60 triple jump (8.56m), Harnek Toor M75 hammer (36.53m), Marek Glowacki M80 hammer (36.58m) and Shane Wiebe M50 weight throw (15.01m).
“Three relay teams broke BC records. The relay team of Derek Prevost, Shawn Nouraei, Steve Colbert and Paul Tshinyama broke the M50 4x100m record (49.47) and the team of Laurie Ritchie, Cindy O’Brien Hugh, Sharon Hann and Patti Rogers broke the W60 4x100m record (1:02.09). The relay team of Fred Pawluk, Mark Stewart, Terry Riggins and Piara Bhullar broke the M70 4x800m record (12:25.94), just missing the Canadian record by 0.66 seconds.
“A track and field meet can only be successful with the support from many others. The Greyhounds Masters Club is indebted and grateful to many. We thank the Ocean Athletics Club for the use of their high jump mats and standards, the Universal Club for the use of their steeplechase barriers and take-off board, and BC Athletics for the use of their hurdles. We thank Dr MacPherson and his son Steve for once again serving as our First-Aid attendants, Randy our security person, the Surrey Parks and Recreation Department for preparing the facility, and our many sponsors for their generous donations.
“Perhaps, most of all, we thank our hard-working officials and volunteers for your dedication and long hours of work. This was the first time that the Greyhounds Masters Club hosted this championships, but it definitely will not be our last.”
Athletes compete in the BC Masters Track & Field Championships at Bear Creek Park Sunday afternoon. The 22-year-old club counts some record holders among its nearly 100 members, which range in age from 35 to 90. (Aaron Hinks photos)
Athletes compete in the BC Masters Track & Field Championships at Bear Creek Park Sunday afternoon. The 22-year-old club counts some record holders among its nearly 100 members, which range in age from 35 to 90. (Aaron Hinks photos)
Athletes compete in the BC Masters Track & Field Championships at Bear Creek Park Sunday afternoon. The 22-year-old club counts some record holders among its nearly 100 members, which range in age from 35 to 90. (Aaron Hinks photos)
Athletes compete in the BC Masters Track & Field Championships at Bear Creek Park Sunday afternoon. The 22-year-old club counts some record holders among its nearly 100 members, which range in age from 35 to 90. (Aaron Hinks photos)
Athletes compete in the BC Masters Track & Field Championships at Bear Creek Park Sunday afternoon. The 22-year-old club counts some record holders among its nearly 100 members, which range in age from 35 to 90. (Aaron Hinks photos)
Athletes compete in the BC Masters Track & Field Championships at Bear Creek Park Sunday afternoon. The 22-year-old club counts some record holders among its nearly 100 members, which range in age from 35 to 90. (Aaron Hinks photos)
Athletes compete in the BC Masters Track & Field Championships at Bear Creek Park Sunday afternoon. The 22-year-old club counts some record holders among its nearly 100 members, which range in age from 35 to 90. (Aaron Hinks photos)
Athletes compete in the BC Masters Track & Field Championships at Bear Creek Park Sunday afternoon. The 22-year-old club counts some record holders among its nearly 100 members, which range in age from 35 to 90. (Aaron Hinks photos)
Athletes compete in the BC Masters Track & Field Championships at Bear Creek Park Sunday afternoon. The 22-year-old club counts some record holders among its nearly 100 members, which range in age from 35 to 90. (Aaron Hinks photos)
