Local athlete Alan Provenzano brought home two medals – gold as a member of Australia’s gold medal-winning 4x400-metre relay team (160-199 years), and silver in the 45-49 years pentathlon – from the world’s largest multi-sport event.

“It was a great adventure; the level of competition was very high and it was a great experience and atmosphere,” he said of the games that were declared “the best ever” by International Masters Games Association President, Kai Holm.

Provenzano, had a busy schedule at the World Masters Games, held in Sydney from October 10 to 18.

He competed in the 100 and 200-metre sprints, javelin and long jump, as well as the 4x100 and 4x400 relays and the challenging outdoor pentathlon.

The pentathlon consists of a long jump, discus throw, 200-metre run, javelin throw and a 1500-metre run, and Provenzano recorded personal best results in the javelin and 1500-metres to propel himself into second place overall.

He finished just behind Polish champion Jerzy Krauze, and was 550 points clear of third place.

In the relay events, the total age of the four team members is over 160 years, and at 46, Provenzano was the oldest member of Australia’s team Sprint Force White ‘A’.

He ran a 3.5 second personal best in the 4x400 to become a World Masters Games gold medallist.

This followed his eight-medal haul at the National Masters Games.

A member of Cessnock Little Athletics Club’s amateur division, Provenzano trained twice a week in Newcastle under Dave Puller, for four months leading up to the games.

Provenzano got involved with the sport about five years ago when his son Samuel joined Cessnock Little Athletics Club. He hopes his achievements at the World Masters Games will inspire the young athletes at the club.

“I believe we have some very fine young athletes at our club that have the potential to reach athletics at the highest level,” he said.

Provenzano’s next venture on the athletics circuit is the Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games in Hobart in February, and he is hoping to qualify for the next World Masters Games in Italy in 2011.

Fellow Cessnock athlete Garry Hamilton fared well in his first World Masters Games, narrowly missing out on a medal in the 65-69 years 400-metre sprint.