Vijaya Pereira — The 15th Australian Masters Games in Adelaide turned out to be the best for visiting Indian athletes as they took back home a rich haul of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals after a successful competing in the games held here early this month.
More than 10,000 participants from across Australia and around the world descended in Adelaide for the eight day festival regarded as one of the premier and largest mass-participation events on the Australian sporting landscape, featuring nearly sixty sports and an action-packed entertainment schedule.
The aim of the Australian Masters Games was to promote the benefits of long-term health and wellbeing by providing a platform through which adult Australians can compete, socialise and enjoy sport.
From archery to volleyball and everything in between, the Australian Masters Games offered something for everyone – no matter their ability or experience.
From archery to volleyball and everything in between, the Australian Masters Games offered something for everyone – no matter their ability or experience.
The Indian contingent participating in the track and field events picked up 25 Gold, 29 Silver and 21 Bronze medals in the respective events.
Some of the notable winners were Dr. George Abraham who won the gold in M40 60 Meters, M40 100 Meters, M40 200 Metre and a bronze in the M40 400 Meters, he was followed by 43-year-old Shelton D’Costa clinched three gold in the M40 Shot Put 7.26kg, Weight Pentathlon (team event) and Discus Throw 2kg events, Shivananda Vasantha Shetty won the gold in the M35 1500 Metre and M35 5000 Meters and a silver in the M35 200 Metre and secured bronze in the M35 100 Meters.
An executive from Tata Consultancy Services Richa Deshpande secured her First international silver medal in the 100 meters race, other winners were Oommen Puthenveetil Joshua gold in the M55 Javelin Throw 700g, while Jagdish Narayan and Kourth Koshy secured the Gold and Silver in M50 Long Jump, , Sucharitha Karelia Shetty won gold in the Javelin Throw 600g and silver medals in the W40 Shot Put 4kg and W40 Discus Throw 1kg, Parag Patil clinched the Gold in the M35 Long Jump & M35 Triple Jump, Uday Vasantrao Mahajan bagged the gold while compatriot Lakhwinder Singh secured the bronze in the M50 5000 Metre Walk, Mahipati Shankar took away gold in the M55 5000 Metre Walk while Mahadev Samjiskar bagged the gold in the M70 5000 Metre Walk.
Athlete Cicily John bagged the Gold medal in 400 Metre clocking 76.42 100 and bagged three bronze medals in Long Jump, 100 meters and 200 Meters race.
Banker Hemant Heble (59) and a veteran athlete participating in sports for over 35 years in Indian and Internationally secured silver in the M55 Long Jump, Mahendra Patel bagged the bronze in the M65 Long Jump, Mahadev Samjiskar, Ashok Kumar Gupta, , Sankpal, , Jayanthi Devadiga secured bronze medals in the W45 Long Jump, Discus Throw 1kg and W45 High Jump, , Dharam Sharma silver in the M75 Long Jump and Gold in the M75 80 . Hurdles (76.2cm) , Surinder Kaur silver in the W60 Shot Put 3kg and W60 Javelin Throw 500g , Abasaheb Bhaskar Gaikwad Gold in the M30 Shot Put 7.26kg, M30 Hammer Throw 7.26kg and M30 Discus Throw 2kg, Santosh Pardeshi bagged the Gold in the M35 Shot Put 7.26kg and Discus Throw 2kg, Vijaya Shetty bagged the gold in the Discus Throw 1kg and silver in the M70 Shot Put 4kg, Tereza D’Souza secured silver in the W55 High Jump and a bronze in the W55 3000 Metre Walk, W55 1500 Metre Walk and W55 5000 Metre, A police constable with the Maharashtra Police Nandu Ugale (41) won the gold in the M40 1500 Metre and a silver in the M40 5000 Metre, Elanjiyil Augustus Joseph (70), a former Services athlete silver in the M65 400 Metre and M65 100 Meters.
South Australian sporting legend and radio presenter Chris Dittmar, the current Chairman of the Australian Masters Games advisory board, and felt it is the social and inclusive nature of the Games that truly set them apart from other events.
He said “Some participants target fast times and medals, but for the vast majority, it was all about keeping fit and active, while enjoying a sport they love amongst friends old and new,” said the former squash world no.1 and now Triple M Adelaide announcer.
The Australian Masters Games was proudly sponsored by the South Australian Tourism Commission through Events South Australia.
15th Australian Masters Games Report From Adelaide added by Indian newspaper Sydney on
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