Geezers rule! Closing Ceremony at WMG shows us rockin’!
M45 two-lapper Paul McGuire ran a forgettable 8 at Sydney — seventh in Heat 2, clocking 2:34.02 — but his latest video is quite memorable. Check out his Closing Ceremony montage. This proves one thing. Be nice to the guy you outkick. He might get you in the end on YouTube. Kidding. Everyone seems to be having a fun in the 3-minute clip — especially the pink-haired ladies. On the other hand, we’ll always have self-indulgent show-off journos, who wouldn’t know fun if it bit them in the butt. Check out this piece by Imre Salusinszky in The Australian, headlined “Reality sorely absent in ageless pursuits.” At least the dissing is played for laughs. Not so this piece by Rebecca Wilson in the Daily Telegraph, who wrote: “Does it come any better than seeing a 70-year-old woman in purple Lycra trying to pole vault half her own height (and miss)?” At least Rebecca was ready to compete. But she scratched. Pity.
Unidentified American athletes partied before Closing Ceremony on October 18.
Here’s what Rebecca wrote about herself:
From the outset, I will confess that I was an entrant in the so-called Masters Games. My turn was going to be in the 45-49 year old discus event.
I was a discus thrower at school, so a bright spark at my radio station suggested it would be a great stunt to take part. No qualifications necessary. Fill out this form and turn up on the day.
Thankfully, the radio program was cancelled before I had to don my “Bekistan” jersey and throw the stupidthing.
In September 2003 she was placed on a good behaviour bond after her third serious driving offence in three years. Police caught Wilson driving while disqualified in Sydney. Her case was heard in the Downing Centre Local Court on September 3, and she was placed on a bond for eight months. Wilson was previously disqualified from driving after a mid range drink-driving offence that was heard in court on March 26, 2002. She was fined $1100. Earlier, she had been caught drink-driving on October 23, 2000. Wilson appeared in court on December 5, 2000, and was disqualified from driving for six months from thet date and fined $500.
Hey, Becky! We may be old, slow and ugly. But we’re better drivers!
BTW, the background music in Paul’s latest video is “You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar, But I Feel Like a Millionaire” by Queens of the Stone Age.  They call their style robot rock.Â
8 Responses
It’s true that mainstream journalists sometimes don’t understand or respect masters athletes, but Ken, I don’t get why you had to share her driving record, and why that is relevant to the topic. That is an example of the type of “reporting” that I thought you deplored. We can cheer for our fellow athletes and correct misconceptions without demeaning others.
Ah, negative pub and humor pub. That’s okay. We’re doing what the health experts tell us. We’re getting plenty of exercise. No IVs, no respirators, no prescriptions. My goal isn’t to run WRs or ARs. My goal is to run laughing all the way to the grave. I’m into my 63rd year of competition. My plan is to become the oldest runner to ever compete at the USATF National Masters Champs. Jerry
If you do become the oldest runner ever to compete at the USATF National Masters Champs Jerry, you probably will get an AR or WR along the way! 🙂
As an Australian Masters Athletics competitor I am embarrassed by both of the Australian newspaper articles you cite. I am not sure which is more offensive. The ageist stereotyping, thinly veiled in sarcastic humour, or Rebecca’s rant? I only saw good press prior to seeing your links other than being told that “a former Olympic Swimming Gold Medalist” and “a fairly average ex Olympic and Com Games Sprinter” had nothing good to say either during a TV sport program telecast in Australia on the weekend.
Seems as though a few “celebrities” and hack journalists thought they could stand out from the crowd by jumping off the band wagon – shame they didn’t fall under the wheels.
As to the former greats denigrating Masters sport, many of them could train for years and get no where near the top competitors or record marks for their age group. They need to either put up or shut up!
I do not see any problem with publishing information regarding Wilson’s driving record. It shows a pattern of criminal disregard for the safety of others, lack of character and low values. It helps put her opinionated and poorly researched effort into context.
I had a great time at this event, the fields were often world class and there was a slightly more relaxed atmosphere than at the one WMA championship I have been to. Some of the organisation was shoddy but no worse that Riccone and nothing one couldn’t live with.
Roger that. 22 years from now will put me close to my goal of becoming the oldest runner to ever compete at a USATF National Champs. It may sound like a long time, but it’s sort of like what frogs always say, “Time’s fun when you’re havin’ flies.”^_^.
Jerry
Sadly, this is a worldwide thing. Here in Britain, we have an ex World Champ and WR holder as a T&F pundit on TV for the major championships. He has several times come out with comments denigrating the legitimacy of Masters athletics. At the same time, however, he and fellow commentators appear to marvel at the performances of those athletes over the age of 35 who are still taking part at the very top level. Maybe it’s just that some of these commentators are jealous of us, or maybe they really only ever did it for the money.
to an extent I can see Rebecca’s point. Here in Australia we are constantly shown images of an old girl trying to pole vault or a 95 year old man “sprinting” 100m in a blistering 45 seconds or so.
These images are non confrontational to those sitting at home a little perplexed at such odd antics.
The media don’t show a 58 year old Bill Collins running 100 in 11.76 followed a metre back by Reinhard Michelchen hot on his heels.
No, because that would be like a kick in the pants to the unfit fatties of that age busy sitting on their sofas downing a beer while surfing channels for more sport.
Competing at all ages is a great and healthy pastime but it is just a Games and not a world champs. That is what Rebecca has missed.
There are some world class performances as a by-product but it’s just “playing” for many people which is fine. Personally I like to enter championships and not “games”, but I see why “games” exist.
My 5’7″ 130 kgs brother in law had the nerve to say to me ” I can’t understand why you do it”. My mental answer was “no, that’s pretty obvious you don’t”. Luckily I value the wider family’s relationships more than the need to give him the response he deserved.
Good post, Steve. I think I agree with almost every word. But in the end, does it actually matter to those that do it that Sydney was “just a Games”. So is the Olympics. We do this thing we do for many more reasons than wanting to be able to say “I am champion of the world”. Even the losers win in Masters T&F, because it is a joy and a delight still to be able to do it, long after the small-minded press pundits would have us consigned to their concept of “old age”.
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