Sooke super senior Myrtle Acton has smashed the record books yet again at the 55-Plus BC Games in Abbotsford.
The 90-year-old has set a new unofficial Masters Athletics world record in her age group for discus throw, hurling the discus 15.83 metres.
Acton initially broke the record led by Estonia’s Nora Kutti (15.01m) at the Canadian Masters Championships in Langley on Aug. 12 with a throw of 15.28m.
She collected the gold medal in Abbotsford and will add that to her trophy case of accomplishments. She collected six medals at the 2022 55-Plus BC Games in Victoria, all in throwing events. She also won three golds in throwing events at the Games in 2019.
Acton also earned a place in the BC Amateur Athletics Association’s Hall of Fame and the Canadian Masters’ Hall of Fame in 2021. She holds the Canadian masters age group record for shot put (6.92m), and world age group records in hammer throw (20.47m) and weight throw (9.87m).
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She’s lived in Sooke since 2014, but in several different areas of the Lower Mainland in her younger days.
“I’ve always been a bit of gypsy,” she told Black Press last year.
Acton competed in the discus and javelin in high school and returned to competing in 1994, the year the 55+ BC Games were launched.
“Back in my day, there weren’t that many opportunities to compete after high school, and life gets in the way,” she told Black Press. “I didn’t think about it until I heard about the 55+ BC Games. I’ve been to everyone except for two and the ones we missed because of COVID. There’s an incredible amount of opportunities to compete that you can do throughout the year in different locations.”
“Keeping active with any form of exercise, even walking, keeps us out of senior homes and hospitals,” she said.
Continue visiting abbynews.com for more coverage from the Games.
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- With files from: Rick Stiebel/Black Press
