Athletics Cook Islands Federation secretary Ruth Mave was appointed president for the Oceania Masters Athletics on Wednesday evening via Zoom.

Oceania Masters Athletics covers 20 countries mainly smaller island nations separated by large bodies of ocean. 

The annual general meeting last week via Zoom was attended by several countries who were interested in how they can add or improve their involvement of 30+ age group in athletics this year and moving forward. This is in line with World Athletics’ strategic plan to increase participation in all areas of competitors, spectators, officials and coaches. 

Mave similarly wants to increase the number of participants in the over 30 years age category in a number of interesting and “something for everyone” active events available with track and field athletics but also events like road running and walking, cross country and trail running.  

Mave said the Cook Islands community suffers from high levels of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and obesity rates “and we need to address this with a change in our attitudes towards fitness and health”.  

Athletics offers first time exercisers a chance to start at a level and rate they can achieve early success in and maintain past the initial five to 12 weeks of starting, she adds.  

Already Mave is in talks to help others train for the 31 kilometre road walk in September around the island, and is planning a 30+ year age only competition in April.  

“The Queen’s Birthday Kumete competition offers a great chance for all ages and especially the mature athletes to compete in a combined fun and family day.  With the Cook Islands Games on again in October this is a prime time for our mature athletes to start training and learning better techniques and skills so they are ready to take up the challenge. 

“Athletics has more medals available to win for your island using less number of people than any other code. One person can win more than one medal, as opposed to 11 or 15 people required to win one medal in a team sport.”

Mave says one of the benefits for World Athletics of the Covid pandemic is the increase of older people taking to athletics via running or walking as their preferred and most accessible sport to be involved in during lockdown around the world. 

All enquiries of registration of interest for upcoming events or walk training can be sent to secretaryaci19@gmail.com.