My Story: Wilma Perkins - Australia

When and why did you get involved in masters athletics?

When I was about 26 I watched a short story on a television sports show about older athletes competing in track and field. My immediate thought was that I would like to do that as I had enjoyed athletics at school even though that was limited to the annual school athletics carnival and going to the district championships if you were placed in the first three. At about the same time, as a parent with young children, I got involved with establishing a Little Athletics Centre which was for children aged from 6 to 12. We lived in a country area so there wasn't a lot on offer for children this age.

We later moved to a bigger town and again were involved with the establishment of a Little Athletics Centre and an Athletics Club for teenagers. One of those teenagers is a team manager for the Australian Masters Team in Perth. We used to travel to other towns for athletics carnivals and I ended up competing at some of them whilst my children were competing in their events. It was at one of these carnivals that I met a woman called Ruth Frith who "educated me" about masters athletics. Ruth set quite a few world records in masters and was eventually the sports first W100 competitor.

When our family moved to the city of Brisbane some years later I was able to join masters athletics but only as a pre – masters as athletes had to be 35 and I was only 31.

My initial goal was to try and long jump as far as I had at high school as a 16 year old. I achieved that feat on the last day of competition of my first season, jumping the same distance as I had at 16. Over the following years I gradually improved my long jump by another 72 cms.

What was your greatest moment in Masters Athletics?

I don't have a greatest moment. But I do have lots of special moments that I recall very clearly. Some involve myself and some involve other athletes who inspired me. My original goal, at my first WMA Championships in Melbourne 1987, was to be one of the four fastest Australian sprinters in my age group so I could make the relay team. In the 100m final, I was aware I was in front after the first metre and I ran on adrenaline for the other 99 metres. At the same championships I was inspired by the dominance of Payton Jordon in his 100m and later watching two 75 year olds running side by side in the last 50m of their 400m and realizing that neither would concede to the other. Competitiveness did not belong to the young.

By the time I was in my 40's I was inspired by the fitness of the 60 year olds and thinking I wanted to keep competing so I could look like them at that age. In Lyon it the W80 competitors in pole vault and hurdles and the M90+ sprinters. I am just as inspired watching the younger masters in action as they step up to the challenge of competing against their peers instead of competing against younger athletes.

Over the years I have witnessed some incredible Aussies run in relay teams when they were injured so that the team could be out on the track. Not only that, the moment they were handed the baton they ran without a thought of their injuries or the extra weeks/months that it now take to heal.

My Masters Achievements

I don't want to jinx myself writing this but I have medalled at all the WMA Championships I have attended. I am proud of my diversity of events over the years as I have been lucky enough to medal in sprints, hurdles, jumps, throws, heptathon, pentathlon and the throws pentathlon as well as relays.

Adversities

I am so pleased I have not documented my injuries over the years. It would have been depressing reading. I used to claim I did injuries and that I did not do sickness. But that fell apart when I arrived in both Sacramento and Lyon very sick and not knowing if I would even compete.

I have decided that Masters Athletes redefine Charles Darwin's Theory of Survival of the Fittest. For us it is a case of if that dodgy knee can beat that injured calf or hamstring muscle or the groin strain or the arthritis or the recovering ankle or shoulder problems.

How do other see me?

Family wise I have had support and encouragement and I am known as that family member who does athletics. I have made some great friends over the years through athletics both at home and internationally and that is perhaps the most special thing. I recall once flipping over the name tag on a bag in the call room and saying to that athlete "I know who you are." They responded by checking my name tag and saying "I know who you are too." It was a feel good moment.

What do my achievements mean to others?

I have no idea outside the immediate family. My children are proud of me, the grandchildren don't seem to take any notice because that is what Granmum does. I do receive the occasional comment that I look fit.

Rankings

When I attended my first WMA Championships I recall that there was a notice board that had our events listed and our nominated performances beside our name. I recall counting the names ahead of mine in the 100m and I was listed as 12th. I immediately decided that if I could finish 11th or higher then I would consider this a success.

Today it is much easier to check rankings but I still go through the same process. Whatever the event I will still check where I am on the list and check the performance one above me and use that performance as my challenge. If I don't succeed then I will check out the next age group up to see where my current performance would rank me. One can always dream.

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