Aldergrove’s ageless wonder triumphs at world masters

Aldergrove’s senior track and field star Harnek Toor added to his considerable collection of medals at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, returning with two silver in the javelin and shot put competitions, and one bronze in the hammer throw.

He also finished fourth in weight throw and fifth in throws pentathlon. The throws pentathlon tests athletes in five events – hammer, shot put, discus, javelin and weight throw.

Toor, 80, was a member of the Canadian squad of 108 masters athletes who competed in track, field, and road events.

“Hot weather and humidity was almost unbearable for us, which affected our performance adversely,” Toor said. “However, we persevered and produced commendable results.”

Despite the weather conditions, and what Toor described as a “dearth of proper food” and language problems, the Canadians secured 59 medals (16 gold, 22 silver, and 21 bronze) at the largest World Masters Athletics Championships ever held.

As with all World Masters Athletics (WMA) events, competition in all events was in five-year age groups, beginning at the 35-39 age group and continuing to the age of the oldest athlete.

More than 11,000 participants from 106 countries competed from Aug. 22 to Sept. 3, 2026, including several former Olympic champions.

“This outing proved to be a boon, to demolish a myth that the world champions can’t be challenged,” Toor said.

“We daringly did so and rubbed shoulders with them and came out victorious and showcased that Canadians are no less than anyone in the world.”

In a previous Langley Advance Times story, Toor described how he played multiple sports as a young man, including sprinting, handball, soccer and volleyball, and how an article in a local paper inspired the former Indian Army officer to get back into competition in 2012.

“I happened to read a newspaper about the 55-plus games,” Toor said.

Among his achievements, Toor has won eight gold medals in the hammer throw, weight throw, discus throw, javelin, shot put, super weight, long jump and triple jump events at the B.C. Masters Track and Field Championship in 2022, four gold medals in the hammer throw, javelin throw, weight throw, and throw pentathlon in 2024 at the Canadian Masters Athletics Championship held in Montreal along with two silver in the discus throw and shot put, and four silver and one bronze at the Canadian Masters Indoor Athletics Championship in Winnipeg in 2025.