Roodepoort sending two ageless athletes to World Masters Athletics Championships

By commanding the body’s potential one has the ability to cheat father time.

From June 20 to July 10, South Africa’s most evergreen competitors will journey to Scandinavia in search of glory. The World Masters Athletic Championships (WMAC) will be held in Finland in 2022 with Roodepoort being represented by two women, Bergbron’s Mercia Ferreira and Helderkruin’s Zelda Klassen.

The WMAC draw athletes from across the world and is open to competitors over the age of 35, with each age division going up in five-year increments. The Athletics South Africa affiliated event requires only that athletes be registered with an athletics club, and registration for the national events can be done without any qualifying criteria. At the WMAC, each registered participant will get an opportunity to qualify for the finals of their events, which mirror the variety on offer at any Olympic games.

Zelda is relatively new to the masters, having begun her athletic journey just seven years ago. The 65-year-old specialises in the hammer throw but has competed in the heptathlon in the past. The mother of three children and grandmother of seven is currently a facilities manager but can boast being a retired nurse, an artist and published author. “Sport is like art in that it gives you the freedom to express yourself,” said Zelda.

By contrast, 73-year-old Mercia is a seasoned athlete who first earned her junior Springbok colours in 1966. Since then she has notched up provincial colours in eight different sports, completed 27 Midmar Mile swims and holds two South African Masters records and 20 provincial records in various masters events. Mercia will be competing in her eighth WMAC, noting trips to Perth and Malaga among the most memorable championships she has competed at.

Masters athletics goes beyond just competition but enables a social environment for those who refuse to rest. “There is a fantastic atmosphere among the team members. We give advice and share advice while pushing each other to be better,” said Mercia. Urging anyone eligible to join, Zelda encouraged former athletes to have faith in their abilities while also taking advantage of some fun travel opportunities.

Their immediate goal is to post a personal best with qualification into the finals being a bonus, something that would be well-earned in a field of former Olympians. Zelda admitted to not being a star athlete in school but was attracted to the masters for a sense of competition. She hopes her first won’t be her last. Even though Mercia claims that sport is in her veins, the masters is more than that reminding everyone that through athletics and competition, you can never grow old.