Victoria Point masters athlete eyeing trip to Spain

The 76-year-old track and field athlete participated in the Australian Masters Games in Adelaide in June winning gold in the 300 metre hurdles and 80 metre hurdles, as well as a silver in the 400 metres and a bronze in the 100 metres.

In March he competed on the Gold Coast at the Pan Pacific Masters Games where he won a gold medal in the 100 metres, 200 metres, 80 metre hurdles and 300 metre hurdles.

The former farmer and Victoria Point State School groundsman also brought home a silver from the 800 metres and 400 metres events and a bronze in 60 metres from the Gold Coast meet.

Pio competed at the World Masters Games in Perth in November of last year, where he qualified for finals in the 80 metre hurdles, 300 metre hurdles, and the 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metre sprints.

Adding to his packed program in Perth, Pio also lined up as part of the Australian 4 x 100 metre and 4 x 400 metre relay teams.

Pio said he was proud of his efforts in making finals in each of his events.

“In Perth I made all my finals,I came number four in the world for 80 metre hurdles, number five in the 300 metre hurdles, number four or five in 100 metres,” he said.

“The lowest I came in any of my finals was sixth,” he said.

Since retiring at 65, Pio’s sporting achievements have taken him to France in 2015, where he represented Australia, and next on his list of sporting goals is a return to Europe where he hopes to once again don the green and gold.

“I have a competition in January, then the World Masters in September in Malaga in Spain ,” he said.