Medals all round at Qld Champs
SUCCESS: (back) Annette Wilson and Jacqui Avery with (front) Stuart Walker and Selwyn Hawken all picked up medals. (Whitsunday Times)
ATHLETICS: For Cannonvale's Selwyn Hawken age has never been a barrier to athletics.
As a teacher at Cannonvale State School in the early 1970s, he took on the responsibility of helping kids with athletics and just last week proved he wasn't too bad himself.
Selwyn, 70, recently competed in the 2016 Queensland Masters Athletics Championships in Townsville, where he took home two gold medals in the 70-74 age group in both the 80m and 300m hurdles and bronze in the hammer and weight throws.
He was joined by Proserpine athletes Jacqui Avery, Stuart Walker and Annette Wilson.
Jacqui (35-39) picked up bronze medals in the 60m and 100m sprints, long jump and triple jump, Stuart (50-54) won a gold in the 200m and a silver in 100m sprints and Annette (50-54) took home an impressive seven gold medals in the 60m sprints, triple jump, shotput, discus, hammer throw and javelin.
Jacqui's results were more than impressive, with it being her first big meet for Masters Athletics.
Stuart is relatively new to the Whitsundays but has already declared he will compete in the World Masters Championships in October in Perth.
Annette's passion was sparked by her children who went through athletics.
The Queensland Masters gives people aged 30+ the opportunity to compete in athletics on a level playing field with age groups broken up into five year blocks.
Selwyn said there was a perception that athletics was only for younger people.
"There's always talk about athletics for kids but people probably don't realise its a good outlet for older people," he said.
"Anyone can join. It's good to get a few older people into something.
Like most Australian children, Selwyn's first taste of athletics began in primary school but his hobby has turned into an impressive feat. For a time in early 2000s, he held the Qld state record for his decathlon age group.
He started out with the Whitsundays Athletics Club in 1984, helping with coaching and later joined Qld Masters, competing in their world games in Brisbane in 2000.
"When my kids were going through athletics, I used to compete lightly when I was in my late 30s and 40s," he said.
"Then my daughter got into javelin throwing seriously. In my mid-50s I got back into it full-time.
"People ask why you do it? A lot of masters winners don't even take their medal - they do it for the social enjoyment.
"My reason for doing is that it forces me stay a little bit fit."
The next Masters event is in a fortnight with athletes travelling to the North Queensland games in Cairns.
