REMEMBERING
Les Robson
June 13, 1927 - June 2020

In 1998, Les Robson had a vision of forming a track and field club for seniors so that older athletes could receive coaching in preparation for the BC Seniors Games. Due to his foresight, this became a reality when the Tri-City Greyhounds Track and Field Club for seniors (55+ at that time) was formed in March, 1999, and Les was the president of the club for eleven years. In later years the club's name was changed to Greyhounds Masters Track and Field Club, and the age of the members were aligned with the age requirements of BCA, CMA and WMA (presently 35+).

Les was very involved with the BC Seniors Games, not only as an athlete but also as an administrator, serving as Zone 3 Director and track and field coordinator. When the BC Seniors Games were hosted by Coquitlam in 1991, he and companion Anne Fleming were honoured to carry the torch into the stadium for the Opening Ceremonies. From the inception of the Games in 1988 until 2012, Les had competed in every Games.

Although results could not be found for the earlier Games, for sixteen of the twenty-four years that results were found, Les won at least one medal every year, winning a total of 72 medals during these years. Les had his best Games in 2003, winning 6 golds and a silver. His M75 sprint times were: 100m (15.96) and 200m (33.09). At the Prince George Games in 2008, Les was honoured to sing the national anthem at the medal ceremonies. There in the M80 age group, he won gold in the 100m, 200m, 400m and triple jump, plus a silver. In 2012, Les participated in his final Games in Burnaby, winning gold medals in the M85 100m, 200m, 400m, long jump and triple jump. At the 2006 Abbotsford Games, he and his teammates broke the Canadian record in the M75 4x100m relay (1:06.15) and at the 2010 Courtenay Games, they broke the M80 4x100m Canadian record (1:14.61).

Les competed in four international meets. In 1999, he went to Gateshead, England to compete in the World Masters Athletics Championships where he finished 8th in the M70 400m and 9th in the 200m and long jump. Then at the WMA Championships in Carolina, Puerto Rico, in 2003, he finished 7th in the M75 400m. Les competed at two World Masters Games: in 2002 at Melbourne, Australia, he won a silver (M75 400m) and bronze (200m), and in 2005 at Edmonton, he won a bronze (M75 100m).

Les competed in his first, and only, Canadian Indoor Championships in 2011. He won silver medals in the long jump and triple jump, and bronze medals in the 200m and 400m. But the highlight for him was joining three other athletes in breaking the Canadian Indoor record in the M80 4x200m (2:39.45).

He competed in several other meets sanctioned by BC Athletics, including the Trevor Craven, Langley Pacific, BC Masters Indoor and Outdoor Championships and the Kamloops meets. Perhaps 2009 was his best year. At the BC Indoor Championships, Les won 5 gold medals and set BC M80 Indoor records in each event (60m, 200m, 400m, long jump and triple jump). He won 4 more gold medals at the BC Masters Outdoor Championships. Finally, at the Canadian Outdoor Championships, he won 3 gold (200m, 400m and triple jump) and 2 silver medals.

After turning 85 in 2012, Les broke the BC M85 triple jump record, and his relay teams broke the BC Indoor 4x200m and the Outdoor 4x100m records. In 2013, at the BC Masters Indoor Championships, he won 4 gold medals and broke BC Indoor records in the long and triple jumps. He would win 4 more gold medals at the BC Masters Outdoor Championships. Les ran the final race of his career at age 86.

In 2017, the Greyhounds Club established the Les Robson Service Award which, from time to time, will be awarded to an individual for exceptional service to the club over a number of years.

Les Robson
June 13, 1927 - June 2020