Last weekend, Keith Hutton a local resident of Albert Town competed at the South Island Masters Athletics Championships at the new Nga Puna Wai Track in Christchurch.
Hutton may have passed retirement age but it’s not slowing him down. In warm but very windy conditions Hutton set four records in his age group. Three were Otago records in high jump, javelin and 300 metre hurdles. Hutton also established a new South Island Championship mark for the 300metre hurdles.
“I love speed, I love the feel of wind, of going quickly,” said the sprightly septuagenarian. “I love lifting the legs and sprinting. It’s inspiring, I just love that feeling.”
Hutton has been athletic all his life and enjoys passing on that passion to the younger generation as a coach and mentor to kids at Holy Family School and MAC.
At the championship event, Hutton commented that the wind was a real challenge to overcome in all the events especially when throwing the lighter javelin with a tail wind. It was also tough fighting into it on the bend and the front straight when sprinting over the 300 hurdles, although he noted, “the hurdles get a bit lower and the shotput a bit lighter as you get older.”
Hutton also achieved pleasing results in the 100 and 200 metres and shotput but the wind assistance wiped out any chance of records in these sprints.
He concluded by saying it’s great attending such occasions as you catch up with old friends, and get to run and compete on classy surfaces. But best of all, he said, is the chance to compete against younger and older athletes who inspire and motivate him equally.
