Toronto’s Karla Del Grande has cemented her standing as one of many world’s quickest masters runners, holding greater than a dozen world age group data. On Wednesday afternoon on the 2024 World Masters Athletics Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, Del Grande added one other report to her illustrious resume by setting a brand new world report within the W70+ 100m, clocking a powerful 14.70 seconds.
Del Grande’s time received her the gold within the girls’s 70+ occasion, narrowly edging out her Chilean rival, Sara Montecinos, by only one hundredth of a second. Montecinos took the silver with a time of 14.71 seconds, whereas Finland’s Sinikka Illaru went residence with the bronze, ending in 15.97 seconds.
To place Del Grande’s world report into perspective, she averaged a pace of 25 km/h over 100m on the age of 71. This marks the second time this season that she has damaged the 100m world report for the W70+ age group, having run an identical time ultimately month’s Puma Twilight meet in Hamilton.
Her gold was considered one of two medals for Canada on Day 2 of the World Masters Athletics Championships in Gothenburg. Calgary’s Maria Zambrano additionally introduced residence a medal, profitable silver within the W50+ 5,000 metres with a blazing time of 18 minutes and 19 seconds.
Del Grande’s success on the masters stage has been nothing in need of outstanding. She started competing in 2002 on the age of 49 and has since set quite a few Canadian data in numerous dash occasions throughout each indoor and out of doors competitions. She has been named Ontario Masters Athletics’ Feminine Masters Athlete of the Yr an astounding 12 occasions and was honoured because the World Masters Athlete of the Decade for 2010-2020.
At 71, Del Grande stands as a beacon of inspiration in Canadian masters working, and is thought for her indomitable spirit and record-setting performances. In a current interview, she voiced her aim of sharing her ardour for the game and inspiring different older girls to take up working/monitor and area.
