So much going on! I experimented with a calendar which was fun to make and people seemed to like. There’ll be a more professional one for 2015. Watch this space.
I’m also set to go to print with my book Growing Old Competitively hopefully in June. I’m at the fiddly bit now but it’s been really fun working on it and putting it all together and I can’t wait to get it to press.
I was at the British Indoor Masters Championships in Lee Valley on March 8th & 9th where i started photographing younger masters athletes as well as the older age groups. I really enjoyed doing it and watching the incredible athleticism of these men and women. My primary focus will always be on the older age categories but I shall continue to mix my work up a bit with the spring chickens too…
Take a look at these two pictures from Lee Valley. Youthful masters in the first age category of 35-39 years old followed by more mature masters competing in the 80-85 year old groups, both running the 200m race.
First photo: Lawrence Baird, born 1977, (left) ahead of Esmei Ossai (born 1975) in the men’s 35-39 year old 200m race where he came in 2nd in a time of 22.95secs. The world record for this age group is 20.11 seconds (Linford Christie, 1995).
Second photo: George Cheetham (right), born 1930, overtaking Richard Pitcairn-Knowles, born 1932, in the men’s 80-84 year old 200m which he won in a time of 40.12. Cheetham’s personal best in this event was in Brisbane, 2001, when he ran it in 29.76 seconds in the 70-74 year old age group. The world record for the 80-84 age group is an astonishing 29.54 seconds and for the 70-74 year old category it’s 26.48secs.
I’m off to Budapest to photograph the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships from March 25th – 30th. I’m writing this just before going and I’m both excited and nervous. Lots of amazing, world-class older athletes are going to be there including quite a contingent of 90+ competitors. Can’t wait.
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