Ruth Uses Her Gift

At 100 years old, Brisbane great-grandmother Ruth Frith became the oldest competitor in the World Masters Games in Sydney in 2009.

Ruth won six gold medals in the Games throwing events including shot put and hammer throw.

Ruth, who will be 101 in August this year is remarkably still training and competing, and has recently returned from the 2010 Australian Masters Athletics National Championships in Perth.

Despite her age, Ruth is still training five days a week, which includes strength training using her own weights and equipment on Mondays and Tuesdays, and athletics training on Wednesday and Thursdays and Fridays.

Ruth is a member of the Gold Coast Masters Athletics Club and competes each Sunday morning for the club.

She has been active her entire life and had a love of running as she grew up. “When I was quite young, I loved to run and roll the hula hoop, which no one would know about now, but I used to love that,” she said.

“When I was 11 we had an athletics carnival, and I won the 100 yard race, I started running a lot after that,” says Ruth.

Ruth also found hockey in her youth, which she also enjoyed because she was able to run throughout the game. She was selected to represent New South Wales for hockey when she was younger.

She now concentrates on the throwing events when she trains and competes.

In the lead up to the World Masters Games Ruth was training steadily, and could bench press an impressive 35kgs.

Ruth puts her longevity and health down to a few simple rules- no drinking or smoking. Ruth is an inspiration to many, and tells people to simply “try” and give their ambitions a chance.

“It doesn’t matter how you go- but just make sure you try. You don’t have to be Betty Cuthbert but just try your best. I really believe we’re given a gift in life, and if you don’t use what you have you will lose it,” she says.