Sunday was the last day of 2006 but the first day of Tony Bowman’s new fame and fortune. A sprinter nearing the 30-year mark in masters track, Tony won the equivalent of $7,900 by taking first in a 120-yard handicap sprint race at a horse racetrack in Musselburgh, Scotland. Athletics Weekly began its report thusly: “The famous New Year Sprint in Scotland over the Christmas period has thrown up some great stories during its 138-year history, but none as amazing as this year. The 110m handicap race at Musselburgh was won by a 71-year-old who suffered a heart attack 16 months ago and is such a character he reached the final 100 of the BBC’s Strictly Dance Fever contest last year.”

The AW account continued:
Tony Bowman from Leeds became the oldest winner of the event, which is often known as ‘Powderhall’, despite needing surgery after a heart attack in the autumn of 2005.
Bowman competed in the English Schools’ Championships in 1952 — before many of his competitors in this latest New Year Sprint were even born. And since then the colourful all-rounder has represented Middlesex at hockey, played rugby union for Headingley and been a regular on the Highland Games circuit.
In masters athletics he has a tremendous record too and only this year performances range from winning the world indoor 60m hurdles title in Linz, to European 300m hurdles gold in Poznan – the latter in a time of 50.67.
A good all-rounder, he is also the reigning British masters decathlon champion for the M70 age group.
“This is one of the great races, and everybody in the world knows about it,” said Bowman, who won £4000. “Ever since I was a youngster, I have dreamt of having my name on the trophy.”
He added: “I’ve always thought that age is a state of mind. My ambition is to get down to my marks when I’m 100 and then live for another 20 years.”
Today, the Scotsman newspaper followed with its own tale of Tony:
In spikes, not slippers: New Year Sprint’s oldest winner
(By) STEPHEN MCGINTY AND SANDY SUTHERLAND (smcginty@scotsman.com)
It is an age when slippers, not running spikes, constitute sensible footwear. But Tony Bowman, a pensioner who recently underwent heart surgery, has stunned Scottish athletics, not to mention startling himself, by becoming the oldest person ever to win the New Year Sprint at age 71.
While his peers perhaps dozed off in an armchair to counter the festive excesses, Mr Bowman, a retired probation officer, was hurtling towards the finishing line and trouncing competitors young enough to be his children.
He covered the 110-metre sprint in 12.12 seconds to net himself a cash prize of £4,000, which he plans to spend, as a sensible pensioner would, on double glazing. “I’d say that I’m still on cloud nine,” said Mr Bowman, who lives in Leeds. “I’d entered a couple of times before and not got anywhere at all, yet on Saturday I was flying.”
The New Year Sprint, which took place on Saturday at Musselburgh Racecourse, is one of the oldest athletic events in Britain. The last of the old-style pedestrian galas, it was set up in 1870 and has been run every year since. The annual event pits young and old, male and female against one another by using a handicap system, aimed at ensuring a close finish.
The 113 entries were whittled down to a final eight. Joining Mr Bowman in the starting blocks was a fellow OAP, Walter Hunter, 67, from Falkirk. To compensate for age and ability, Mr Bowman was given a head start of 28.5m, while Mr Hunter was given 29.5m. Among the other competitors was Wendy Nicol, 44, the mother of Gemma Nicol, the Scottish 400m champion.
Mr Bowman also won the 90m open race the previous day. It is a remarkable achievement for an ageing sprinter who, just 16 months ago, discovered that the aorta in his heart was 90 per cent blocked and required the insertion of a tube and, now, a steady diet of heart pills.
Last night Mr Bowman, who once ran alongside a young Sir Menzies Campbell, now the Liberal Democrat leader, at Garscube Harriers in Glasgow, said he kept himself fit by means of a regular exercise routine which includes gardening.
“I grow all my own vegetables and as I’ve a pretty large garden it does take some effort.” He also runs every other day, plays tennis once a week and completes a rigorous circuit class each week.
However, he is not only swift on his feet, but surprisingly nimble, too – he is also an accomplished dancer and recently reached the final 100 in the national Strictly Dance Fever competition held in London.
The secret to his recent success, he insisted, was using racing blocks. “This was the first race I’d actually used blocks. In the past I used to get a fast take off, but I was concerned about the weather and so I bought a pair just four weeks ago. I have to say they certainly worked, I had a great start on all the races.”
Yesterday Mr Bowman went for a celebratory lunch with his son and his wife, to whom he has promised a new pair of boots with the winnings. “I haven’t actually received the cheque yet for £4,000, but I think we might get double glazing.”
The previous oldest winner of the New Year Sprint is believed to be George Charlton, of South Shields, who was 41 when he broke the tape three years ago.
The success of older athletes should encourage others to test themselves, according to Frank Hanlon, the promoter. He said: “The conditions were perfect for older runners. It might have been more difficult if it had been excessively frosty, but it’s a great achievement for Mr Bowman and I hope it makes others think about what they can achieve.”
Me again:
The handicap did not rely on World Masters Athletics’ age-grading system but rather the subjective opinion of the event handicapper. But for Tony to exploit his advantage still required supreme fitness on his part. My kudos to Tony and all his friends and supporters. What a way to start the year. See you at 100!
My thanks to Larry Libow of the Mass Velocity Track Club for speeding me the news of Tony’s big score.