Bill sprinting through retirement
Bill Thompson is still running at age 79
Mike Pearson
Published on
Sep 05, 2008
He's running track, playing baseball and participating in community theatre.
At 79, Bill Thompson isn't ready to take up shuffleboard.
Mr. Thompson, who turned 79 last Sunday, is also the oldest player in the 45 and over Ancaster Veterans Slo-Pitch League. He's currently a catcher and utility infielder for the Vet Cardinals.
"At my age I should be in the rocking chair," Mr. Thompson said. "But I have no intentions of packing it in."
As a sprinter and long distance runner, Mr. Thompson has enjoyed a lifelong involvement in sports.
He stopped training just before the 1954 British Empire Games, but he never relinquished his dream.
Fifty-four years later, Mr. Thompson is still a world-class runner who carries the maple leaf with pride.
Last September at the World Masters Track and Field Championships in Riccione, Italy, Mr. Thompson won a bronze medal with Canada's 4X100-metre relay team.
He ran the second leg and helped establish a new Canadian record of 63.73 seconds in the men's 75-79 age group.
He has won 23 provincial championships and eight Canadian titles. Mr. Thompson also competed in the individual 100, 200 and 400 metre events.
As a Masters competitor, Mr. Thompson has earned more than 75 awards. Masters competition begins at age 35, with a five-year cut-off for each age group. Mr. Thompson currently competes in the 75-79 year group.
He's competed in Masters events across the world, including Australia, Italy and Puerto Rico.
He's still ranked among the world's top-10 for 79-year-old sprinters.
Next fall, just after his 80th birthday, Mr. Thompson plans to compete at the World Masters Athletic Championships in Sydney, Australia. The event will attract an estimated 30,000 competitors from 150 countries, aged 35 and up.
An avid long distance runner for decades, Mr. Thompson took up sprinting after joining the Veterans Slo-Pitch League in 1994. Over the years he's competed in the Boston Marathon, the Around the Bay Road Race and the Webster Memorial 10-mile Road Race.
In 1950 he got married and put his training on hold. Aside from the occasional race, Mr. Thompson's competitive career was over, until decades later.
He attended the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal as a chief timer and announcer.
But as the years went by, Mr. Thompson mainly focused on his wife, his three children and his successful career as a financial planner for London Life.
When Mr. Thompson took up baseball, he realized he could still keep up with men in their forties. He switched his focus from long distance running to sprinting and it's paid dividends ever since.
Last year, Mr. Thompson was named the Hamilton Olympic Club's Athlete of Year. He was also Hamilton's Sports Official of the Year for 2005.
"If you stay fit you have much greater pride in life," Mr. Thompson said. "It just automatically improves your attitude."
Mr. Thompson has also been short-listed for a CTV documentary series on older adults and sports. A camera crew is planning to follow him to Sydney next year when he competes in the World Masters Athletics Championships.
Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Thompson's world bronze medal in Riccione ranks among the most memorable.
"It was a great thrill," he said. "I'd never won a world bronze before."
Another highlight was winning the Ancaster Vet Slo-Pitch championship in 1996, playing alongside his son, Bill Jr. The Thompsons are believed to be the only father and son combination to win the league title with the same team.
At the 2001 World Masters Track and Field Championships, Mr. Thompson watched in wonder as a 101-year-old Australian man completed the 1,500-metre event.
While he's not sure how long he'll be able to compete, Mr. Thompson has no plans to stop running.
"I'm very fortunate to be able to do this," he said.
In addition to his athletic talents, Mr. Thompson has also performed with Ancaster Community Theatre. Last year he participated in the theatre's production of Norm Foster's Self Help.
Baseball helps Mr. Thompson keep in shape and stay sharp. He plays on Sundays at the Copetown ball diamonds.
When his teammates make a nice play, he's often the first to congratulate them. His on-field opponents also hold him in high regard.
"It's great to have him in the league," said Michael Gustar, a member of the Vet Orioles, who recently emerged victorious over the Cardinals.
As the season winds to a close, Mr. Thompson hopes to help the 6-10 Cardinals pull off a playoff upset.
As a motivational speaker, he's appeared at Mohawk College and Macassa Lodge, delivering his message to attentive crowds of all ages.
"Competition doesn't have to stop when you're 21 years old," he explained. "If you have your health and you live in a free country, the rest is up to you."
The 2009 World Masters Athletics Championships will be held from Oct. 10-18.