76-year-old B.C. athlete honoured as World Masters Athlete of the Year

Christa Bortignon is a 76-year-old from West Vancouver, and has become the first Canadian woman to be named the World Masters Athletics female athlete of the year.

She is also a great-grandmother.

“It’s just fun to run,” she says.

Bortignon doesn’t just run however. She also takes part in the high jump, javelin, and heptathlon.

“I really like the triple jump,” she says. “It’s like flying.”

She recently returned from the World Master’s Athletics Championships, where she won eight gold medals. She has also set numerous world records, among them the 100m, 400m and 80m hurdles and heptathlon. She holds six world records in the women’s 75-79 age category.

She only took up competitive track and field about four years ago on a whim. She has won more than 300 medals in total.

“Now when I go to the starting line, and you know ‘on your marks, get set, bang! And you take off, it’s a lot of fun,” says Bortignon.