Brenda Davis has returned from the Oceania Masters Games in Australia with four medals in hand.

The masters veteran had marked the event on her calendar as a must-do for the past year, and she was ecstatic to come home having exceeded her own expectations. The biennial event, which attracted 730 competitors from New Zealand, Australia, and Pacific nations, made its long-awaited return after being paused just before Covid.

“I had attended a small international event in Fiji, but that wasn’t a sanctioned competition. I also competed at the Australian Championships in April, where I won silver in discus, so it’s great to finally have Oceania back,” Davis said.

With disciplines including discus, hammer, weight throw, javelin, and shot put, Davis had plenty to focus on.

“I never expected to beat Australia’s top three women’s throwers at their national champs, so that was a big moment. To then go up against them again at Oceania and come out on top was even better,” she said.

Davis came away with four bronze medals from the weight throw, discus, hammer, and the pentathlon—an achievement that even surprised her.

“The weight throw earned me both a New Zealand and Waikato-BOP Masters record, and in the discus, I managed one of my best throws ever,” she said.

Another highlight for Davis was the inclusion of Para Athletes, who competed alongside everyone else for the first time in the event’s history.

So, what’s next? The next Oceania Masters Games are scheduled for Christchurch in 2027, the same year as the World Masters Games in Kansai, Japan.

Currently studying to become an emergency medical technician, Davis also coaches Masters athletes of all levels in Kawerau and Whakatāne. She leads an enthusiastic group who are already preparing to make waves at the 2027 Oceania Games in Christchurch.

“It has a nice social element. We’re all competitive on the field, but relaxed off it,” she said.