High jumper takes to world stage after 25-year gap
BBCAn athlete who returned to high jumping after a 25-year hiatus has said she wants to inspire other people to get back into their favourite sports.
Emily MacDonald, a high jump coach from Gateshead, said she had competed at international level during her teenage years but then gave up the sport until she was in her 40s.
The mother-of-six, who is now 45, is preparing to compete in the World Masters Athletics Championships in Korea, taking place in September.
"If you want to do it, then you're ready - don't have any excuses," she said.
She said she first tried high jumping when she was in school but quit when she turned 19 and had to work full-time to support herself while living alone.
"I was top of my game but it just wasn't sustainable, and back in the '90s there just wasn't the support there perhaps is now," she said.
ANDY WATSON/BBCAfter her first child was born, she tried to get back into the sport for the first time and started competing again locally.
But then she snapped her calf muscle.
She believed it was because she "dived in" without conditioning herself properly.
A consultant at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary told her it was unlikely she would be able to high jump again so over the next five years, she coached the sport instead.
But this year, after playing football for a few months "to sharpen up", she decided to give vaulting the bar one more try.
"I suddenly jumped a massive personal best," she said.
"In May of this year, I found myself at the top of the world rankings for my age group out of the blue - I thought I have to do something."
She said it inspired her to start training for the world championships, which was going "really well" and will see her go abroad for the first time in two decades.
"I never imagined it would happen, when I was younger I dreamed of the Olympics and cried at the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympics because I never made it - to be given a second opportunity is incredible," she said.
"I'm really lucky and very grateful every day this body has let me come back at this age to do it all again."
She said other people who wanted to pick sports back up should not wait until they are "fitter" or "have more time".
"Just give it a go, tomorrow isn't promised," she said.
