08 FEBRUARY
2004.
Hey, what about the rules
By David Ogilvie
MULTI-SPORT: Seventy-four-year-old
Gilbert Cole had a gripe after yesterday’s New Zealand
Masters Games multi-sport event.
But it was only friendly
gripe, you understand.
"
We passed a rule before the race, Rule No 1, subsection A,that
no-one was to pass the oldest gentleman in the race," Palmerston
North veteran Cole said.
"
But no-one took a bloody bit of notice..."
But that
didn’t stop the genial character raising his
arms a la Cassius Clay as he finally reached the line, a
while after the rest of the 30-strong field had finished.
Cole is disappointed he didn’t have his old mate
to battle with at the tail of the field.
"
Mike Rowley makes most of these kayaks we use, but he was down
at the Coast-to-Coast this year. We normally battle each other.
Some times I beat him and some times he’ll clean me up.
"
Usually he cleans me up, but if he stops for a cigarette
and a beer, I can beat him. But he doesn’t often
do that."
This time a family friend Joyce Wylie
came along and did the final walk section with him.
"
I couldn’t have made the walk if she hadn’t held
my hand. Fortunately she did – otherwise I would still
have been out there."
Cole, now handicapped by a knee
problem, had competed in every multi-sport race held at the
Games.
"
I’ve been coming a few times – but I was a good
deal younger then. I can’t run much now. But the knee’s
OK. At my time of life it’s just another ache."
|
