Don’t blink because you might miss Townsville local Linda Lynch when she sprints for gold on the athletics track at this year’s Pan Pacific Masters Games (3 – 11 November) on the Gold Coast.
The 52-year-old is relatively new to athletics after competing in her first event only last year but her scintillating performances to date, including winning gold at the Queensland Masters Athletics State Championships, indicates she will be one to beat.
Athletics will be one of the 39 sports on the program at this major biennial sporting event that is expected to attract in excess of 11,000 competitors to the Gold Coast.
“My first athletics event was the Australian Masters Games last year and I managed to take home two silver medals in the 55-60 age division for the 60m and 100m events,” said Linda.
“My first competitive race was definitely a ‘suck it and see’ approach as it was the first race by gun start. I absolutely love running competitively now.
“Since then I have won two gold medals at the Queensland Masters Athletics State Championships and two bronze medals at the Adelaide Masters Athletics State Championships.”
It was four and half years ago when Linda decided to sign up to a fitness squad with the goal of losing some weight but she didn’t realise it would soon lead her to becoming a decorated Masters athlete.
“I joined a gym called FIT Solutions where I began to lose some weight and one day my trainer, Daniel Strickland, told me to do a sprint and he saw that I had some potential there,” said Linda.
“It all began from there and he has been encouraging me ever since to compete in Masters competitions. I don’t think I’d be doing what I am today without his encouragement.”
Linda has fallen in love with Masters competitions, particularly the large-scale events, and even has her sights set on the World Masters in Italy in 2013.
“Masters Games such as the Pan Pacs are a great place to meet and race against like-minded people,” said Linda.
“I have been discussing the possibility of competing at the World Masters Games in Italy. My mother was born close to Torino where the Games are being held so it’s certainly tempting to go back there.”
The new system was born here and filagra this is not something that we would like to see. Caverta although better in some elements but not momentous for us.
