Two of Batemans Bay Squash Club’s best will pit their skills against competitors from all over the globe in the world’s largest multi-sport event, the World Masters Games, which start in Sydney on Saturday.
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Ted Freeman, 57, will compete in the 55-60 year old category, and Aaron McCallum, 38, in the 35-40 division of the 400-strong competition. Both will also represent NSW in team events.
There are around 30,000 competitors in all the sports from all round the globe taking part in the games.
Both players have won many medals at world, Australian, NSW and regional championships and games.
Freeman has travelled the world playing squash, and also cycling. He has won tournaments in the USA, Canada, New Zealand and all around Australia.
His latest win was at the World Masters Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand in November last year.
He has also brought back numerous World Masters medals in cycling from overseas.
“I used to race my pushbike and the squash was a bit of a sideline, but now it’s pretty much all squash,” he said.
“It (competing all around the world) is a good way not to have a holiday house.
“It has been a life-time passion for me and has been worth every bit of it.”
Both players won gold medals at the Australian Masters Championships in Canberra in their respective age groups this year, and Freeman won his age group in the World Masters Games in Melbourne in 2002.
Both have been seeded below their current Australian rankings in these games, meaning they will have to cut their way through the international players whose form is always a lottery.
Freeman is philosophical about this.
“If you are going to win you have got to beat everyone anyway,” he said.
Freeman recently retired from the NSW Police force, which has given him more time to train.
“Not that I train much more, but it certainly does give me more time,” he said.
Freeman is looking forward to having McCallum compete with him at the games.
“I haven’t travelled with Aaron before so it should be good,” he said.
McCallum, who is president of the Batemans Bay Squash Club, is getting in plenty of practice.
“I play a few times a week if possible, but I would like to be a lot fitter,” he said.
He isn’t getting carried away about competing at such a large tournament.
“With the amount of people there, I think I won’t be noticed, and that’s fine,” he said.
“I haven’t been to such a big event before, and it will be a bit of fun.”
