The 4.30am training sessions have paid off for Todd Devery from Faulconbridge, who flew over the 400m hurdles to claim gold at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Perth earlier this month.
Devery leapt across the hurdles in 63:19, to cross the line just .13 shy of the Australian record and beat the defending champion Richard White from Great Britain, in the 55-59 years category.
“I was feeling confident with 200m to go,” he said.
“I just wanted to make sure I won the event. I feel as though I could have run quicker.”
At 56, Devery attributes some of his success to “a good physio who keeps me going” and training four to six days a week. He trains at Tom Hunter Park in Faulconbridge, rides the sand hills at Yarramundi on his bike, runs in the swimming pool and goes to the gym.
He also helped his team win the 4x400m relay and was fifth in the 400m.
Fellow Blue Mountains Athletics Club members also brought home medals.
In the 100m 40-44 years Ranell Hobson ran 12:51 to place fourth, then backed up to lead the w40 4x100m relay team to gold. She also stepped in to help win a bronze in the 4x400m w35.
Stephen Liggins took bronze in the 50-54 years shotput with a 13.29m throw and a 49.2m throw in the javelin brought a bronze medal and a NSW record. Darren Purcell was third in the 45-49 years marathon and Richard Ward was 13th in the 65-69 years hammer.
