Ruth delivers in Sydney: snappy comebacks and W100 gold
Good ol’ Ruth Frith competed today at the https://www.sages.org/ambien-online/ World Masters Games in Sydney, wowing the gawking media and not taking things too seriously. At 100, she’s seen it all anyway. Here’s her local Brisbane paper’s account. My favorite part is when she says she hasn’t eaten veggies since she was a kid. Just doesn’t like ’em. You go, girl! The story also teases us with news that “90-year-old Canadian Olga Kotelka. . . broke a nine-year-old world record in her age group.” (Wow, they can’t even get Kotelko’s name right!) But the official results site doesn’t list any. So we’re clueless on what Olga actually threw.
Ruth Frith was the center of attention at Sydney. (But don’t call her a centurion!)
Olga Kotelko also drew the lensmen. (But don’t call her Kotelka!)
Here’s the Brisbane story in case the link goes south:
Only 100yo in Masters shot put wins gold
JOSH JERGA
October 11, 2009 – 5:44PM
AAP
Ruth Frith, 100, the oldest female athlete at the World Masters Games, completed the formality of a gold medal-winning throw in shot put and pronounced herself satisfied with a simple: “That’s it.”
As the only competitor in the women’s 100-104 age shot put, the Brisbane great-grandmother only had to turn up to secure a medal.
But the significance of her performance was not lost on anyone.
Her last throw was greeted by an eruption of cheers from the stands at Sydney’s Olympic park and a stampede of international media which she found all very confusing.
Frith, an inspiration to many of the 28,000 athletes who have turned up, managed a throw of 4.07 metres, rivalling many amateurs decades younger.
But she quickly ruled out the popping of any corks or the pouring of a stiff whisky to celebrate.
“Well to start with I don’t drink and I don’t smoke, so I won’t be celebrating in the modern way,” she said.
She also has never eaten vegetables since she was a kid because she simply doesn’t like them.
The centurion, who normally trains five days a week and bench presses 35kg weights, has not trained since Wednesday when she flew in from Brisbane.
However as soon as she entered the Olympic Athletic Centre she was in the zone, shuffling her feet, stretching her muscles and sussing out the conditions.
Her performance inspired 90-year-old Canadian Olga Kotelka, who broke a nine-year-old world record in her age group.
“There was a picture of Ruth in our local paper,” she said.
“I realised she is still competing and is nine years older than I am and I thought I have to come and meet Ruth.”
Kotelka is not the only one.
Frith has been tagged one of the most inspirational athletes at the Games.
But she wont be drawn into any of that.
“Well that’s the way they feel, I don’t feel that way at all,” she said.
“I just think each year is another year but I don’t think, oh I’m going to be 99, I’m going to 100. You just enjoy each day and let the years go by.”
9 Responses
Bubba Sparks says Becky Sisley and Phil Raschker won their age groups in the vault today:
http://pvoztrip.blogspot.com/2009/10/sunday-post-3.html
Those pictures are fantastic…what focus!
The shot was 20cm short of her own (pending) world record.
Sunday’s results are now posted:
http://www.sportingpulse.com/pdfresults/get_file.cgi?id=115
Shows M50s Mike Waller and Bruce McBarnette advancing in the 100 with times of 11.64 and 12.71 and M55s Steve Peters and Bill Collins at 11.98 and 11.99. Ruth Frith threw the .75 kg shot 4.07 meters (13-4 /4).
Thanks Ken for your fantastic coverage of these much older female masters athletes. I am “Good Man” for an elderly lady. Iknow how important – and difficult – it is for them to stay active at all. Keep up the coverage of the older athletes.
(BUT. The format of the WMG Sydney results is practically unreadable. Why can’t WMG get the results out in table form?)
Carmel Papworth Barnum, a native Aussie, has some great details on her Women Running Together blog:
http://blog.women-running-together.com/
Sample:
The Australian national anthem was sung by an aboriginal girl and then repeated in English. It brought tears to these Aussie girls eyes. The official speeches from the organizing committee and government went on too long for my liking. But when the Aussie government kicks in $8M for the games they should get a chance to talk about it.
Ruth today 4.88 in the weight throw. That’s a world record.
More great shots (and video!) of Ruth:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1219625/World-Masters-Games-Golden-oldies-young-uns-done.html
I was great to see that Houston’s ABC morning local news cast highlighted Ruth Frith’s accomplishment.
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