While Josh Kerr was setting a new world mile record and taking gold in the Ultimate Meet in Budapest across the world, another Edinburgh athlete has also been covering himself in glory.
There are differences, of course. While Josh runs middle distance, Hamish Mackenzie is a sprinter.
Oh, and Hamish is 62 years older although he and Josh share the same George Watson’s alma mater.
Yes, 62 years.
For it was in the global Veterans World Games in Daegu, South Korea, that Hamish has been making his mark just as he did in the previous ones in Gothenburg two years ago – and exclusively highlighted then by the Edinburgh Reporter.
Now 90, Hamish was the only British athlete in the 90-94 age-group which restricted him to the individual 100m and 200m events.
But to make up for the disappointment of no relays of the type in which he took silver in Gothenburg Hamish was chosen to lead out his team who were competing in categories aged 35 upwards.
“That was quite an honour to lead the team out” said Hamish, adding: “and overall I had to be pleased with my efforts even if I didn’t make the medals.
“The competition was quite different from last time with many of the competitors coming from the likes of China, Mongolia, Taiwan, Thailand and Japan as well as Korea and being treated like professionals in the way they were encouraged to prepare. There were very few Europeans among the 8,000 athletes taking part.
“In the two intervening years I visited Meadowbank to familiarise myself with running in lanes – something I wasn’t used to last time – and it paid dividends as I was pleased with my times in finishing sixth out of 13 competitors in my age group and qualifying for the finals.
“Another factor I had to take into consideration was the heat so I was right to be satisfied with how I performed. It also took a bit of time to get a tiring journey out of my system.
Hamish, who was accompanied by his wife, Maggie, is naturally pragmatic about future plans.
“I’ve heard the next Veterans Games will be in Holland and while I’d like to be involved I am 90 years old and I have to just wait and see….!”
