Evergreen marathoners prove age doesn't matter

Australia's three Olympic women marathoners boast a combined age of 118. The eldest of the group, Sinead Diver, is adamant that being 44 isn't a hindrance.

The mother-of-two will incredibly be making her Olympic debut while fellow mom Lisa Weightman will contest her fourth Games at 42.

Ellie Pashley is the baby of the group at 32.

They make up the strongest trio Australia has ever sent to the Olympics, with all three in the country's all-time top eight.

Irish-born Diver, who will become the oldest Australian ever to compete in Olympic athletics, said age was irrelevant.

"I find it extremely frustrating that a lot of the media attention I get is mainly focused on my age," she said on the Australian Olympic Committee website after the team announcement.

"I know, in some ways, it's meant to be complimentary, not a lot of athletes continue to find success in their 40s.

"But I've been running for a relatively short period of time, so it's a very different scenario for me. Succeeding at any age is all about your mindset."

She came to the sport late.

Keen to get in shape post-pregnancy in her 30s, Diver joined her sister at a corporate fitness program where a member of the group noticed how well she ran and suggested joining a recreational running group.

Since then, she has competed at three consecutive world championships and compiled an extraordinary series of personal-best times which now rank her among Australia's greatest long-distance runners.

Most recently, she finished eighth at last year's London Marathon in 2 hours 27 minutes and 07 seconds.

"I'm still really motivated and determined because I haven't been doing it for that long," she said.

"My age isn't an issue with people I train with. They're all a lot younger than me but they show me the same respect as anyone else in the group."

Weightman is Diver's junior but boasts more experience, set to become only the eighth Australian to compete at four Olympics in athletics, joining the likes of marathon greats Steve Moneghetti and Lisa Ondieki.

Having juggled training, work as a tech consultant, being a mother and COVID-19 lockdowns, she called it a dream come true.

"I am extremely proud to have created this opportunity and with everything on my plate, with full-time work, a mum in lockdown and an athlete, I've certainly built up the resilience I need to run my best in Sapporo," said Weightman, who finished 31st at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Brett Robinson, Liam Adams and Jack Raynor make up the men's team.

The women's marathon, to be staged in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo to mitigate expected heat in Tokyo, will be run on Aug 7, with the men's race taking place a day later.

AFP