Mary Thomas is in Dubbo competing at the NSW Country Championships

Thomas is in Dubbo representing the Illawarra Blue Stars at the 2023 NSW Country Athletics Championships at Barden Park, her 60th year competing in an event.

Competing in the hammer throw, Thomas was in action on Friday afternoon alongside the other female athletes but was one of two in the over 70s category.

"This about my 60th year, the competition keeps bringing me back," she said.

"Not that I get much (competition) because I am running out of ages."

Dubbo's Barden Park also received government on Friday to upgrade their track with $1 million to go towards the resurfacing of the facility.

Now a state-of-the-art arena, Thomas admitted she isn't a stranger to competing at Dubbo.

"It was grass last time I was here, we used to come for the New Year Carnivals the club had," she said.

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Having begun competing in 1958, Thomas has travelled all out of Australia on many occasions and has only recently returned to Australia.

"I go all over the world, six months ago I went to Finland for the World Masters Athletics Championships and got second in the hammer throw," she said.

"I've been to South Africa and a lot of other places."

Thomas was one of the first athletes to throw a javelin with the over-the-shoulder technique, as well as competing in shot put early on in her career.

Hammer throw was one of the first events held during the three-day carnival but Thomas admitted it wasn't her first choice of field discipline.

"We didn't have hammer throw until more than 10 years after I started, it was only for men then," she said.

"Javelin was my best but not now, I was the Australian champion and held a world record for over 50s."

Thomas is currently ranked ninth in the world for hammer throw in her age group while being the second best in Australia.

Getting towards the end of her career, no one would blame Thomas for wanting to give the sport away.

However, the hammer thrower isn't finished just yet.

"Hammer is the easiest one to throw for me, I've had both my shoulders done and one is bad again," she said.

"I've got artificial knees and hips, I'm nearly artificial all over.

"I've got a pacemaker and was in hospital late last year, I'm getting a different one in March after we finish our Nationals."

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