Mount Gambier athlete Loraine Baron was back on track for the recent Copper Coast SA Masters Games 2023 where she took home a slew of medals.
In what was her 24th year competing in the Masters Games, Baron won gold in shot-put, silver in discus and the 60, 100 and 200 metre sprints and received bronze in javelin in the 70-74 age group.
The event was run over four days with over 30 sporting events taking place in the Copper Coast towns of Kadina, Moonta and Wallaroo.
The Masters Games is a multi-sport event designed to allow mature aged sports people opportunities to participate in the sports of their choice and to compete with their age peers.
Baron said she was pleased with her performance despite a season plagued with injury.
“I was a little bit hampered by injury so I was not perhaps as prepared as I could have been but absolutely enjoyed it and really thankful that I can just finish an event,” she said.
“All I want to do is finish the race, that is an accomplishment in itself.
“It is just the fun of competing and meeting up with people you meet up with year after year.
“In October this year it is the Australian Masters (in Adelaide) which is bigger again.”
The last time Mount Gambier hosted the SA Masters Games was in 1998 with Baron hopeful it can occur again in the region especially due to the addition of the Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre.
“These ones that we go to on the Copper Coast are regionals and hopefully we can get it in Mount Gambier in the next couple of years,” she said.
Baron said she started competing in the Masters Games in part due to her current coach Sally Taylor who was interviewed on the radio in 1999 after coming home from the Australian Masters Games in Adelaide.
“My boys had grown up and out in the world looking after themselves and I just felt this is time for me, I need to do something,” she said.
“I had never competed at anything else other than sports day at school, but I loved it.
“It is good having local people here, Sally Taylor is my coach and when I started 23 years ago Sally was competing and there were three of us and we went away to all of these events together.
“She is fabulous to have in the background to always be there for me to train with the kids and keep me on track, ready for an event.”
