Indian athletes participating in the 15th Australian Masters Games in Adelaide took home a rich haul of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals
More than 10,000 participants from across Australia and around the world descended on Adelaide for the eight-day festival, held from 3 to 10 October, 2015, 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 is to promote the benefits of long-term health and well-being by providing a platform through which adults can compete, socialise and enjoy sport.
From archery to volleyball and everything in between, the Australian Masters Games offers 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 their respective events.
Some of the notable winners were Dr George Abraham who won the gold in M40 60 metres, M40 100 metres, M40 200 metres and a bronze in the M40 400 metres.
He was followed by 43-year-old Shelton D’Costa who clinched three golds 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 metres and M35 5000 metres; a silver in the M35 200 metres, and secured a bronze in the M35 100 Meters.
An executive from Tata Consultancy Services, Richa Deshpande secured her first international silver medal in the 100 metres 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 and M35 Triple Jump, and Uday Vasantrao Mahajan bagged the gold while compatriot Lakhwinder Singh secured the bronze in the M50 5000 Metres Walk.
Mahipati Shankar took away gold in the M55 5000 Metre Walk while Mahadev Samjiskar bagged the gold in the M70 5000 Metre Walk.
Banker Hemant Heble, 59 ,a veteran athlete participating in sports for over 35 years in India and internationally, secured silver in the M55 Long Jump, while 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 respectively.
Dharam Sharma took silver in the M75 Long Jump and Gold in the M75 80 Hurdles (76.2cm).
Many others won multiple medals too.
Surinder Kaur took 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, and 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 metres and a silver in the M40 5000 metres; Elanjiyil Augustus Joseph (70), a former Services athlete, took silver in the M65 400 metres and M65 100 metres.
South Australian sporting legend and radio presenter Chris Dittmar, the current Chairman of the Australian Masters Games Advisory Board, says it is the social and inclusive nature of the Games that truly set them apart from other events.
“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 were sponsored by the South Australian Tourism Commission through Events South Australia.
