RCAF brothers bring home the gold, silver and bronze

News Article / September 13, 2016

From Chief Warrant Officer Claude Faucher

After competing all summer on the Nova Scotia and Ontario Track and Field circuits against athletes half their age, it was finally time for brothers Chief Warrant Officer Claude Faucher and Major Serge Faucher to compete at the Americas Masters Games.

The inaugural games, held from August 26 to September 4, 2016, in Vancouver, British Columbia, saw more than 5,000 veteran athletes (30 and older) from 52 nations gather to participate in 22 different sports.

Competing in the M45 age group (45-49), Chief Warrant Officer Faucher, from 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron at 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia, performed well in his first two events, winning two silver medals in the 800m and the 1,500m with two season best times of 2:11.41 and 4:39.46 minutes.

On day four, he first ran the steeplechase – a 3,000m obstacle race that includes 28 barriers and seven water jumps – where he secured the gold in a time of 11:28.28. “This had to be one of the toughest races I have ever done,” he said. “Jumping those 36-inch [0.92m] barriers just drained the energy right out of my legs.” Still feeling fatigued from the steeplechase, he then took part in the 4 X 400m relay and won his second gold medal of the day.

Competing in the M50 (50-54) category, Major Faucher, who works at Royal Canadian Air Force Headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, also ran well. He won gold in the 400m finals with a time of 54.58, which ranks him 14th in the world in his age group.

The following day, he ran the 200m in 25.23 seconds, fast enough to earn him the bronze medal. A few hours later, he won the gold in the 4 X 100m relay in 48.44 seconds, breaking the 15-year-old Canadian record.

The Faucher borthers plan to participate in the World Masters Track & Field Championships in The Republic of Korea in March 2017.