Western News: February 11, 2021

WESTERN NEWS Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Thursday February 11 2021 5
‘It’s a relief to find you’re still strong’
• From page 1
The mother of three children,
seven grandchildren and 12
great-grandchildren, played
netball until she was 42. She
even competed against her own
daughters.
Clark has always found her
energy outdoors in nature; a keen
hiker, horse rider and gardener.
She owns a remote cabin in
Lewis Pass, and although is not
climbing the nearby mountain
heights, she still loves to wander
through the beech trees.
Mundy used to work in
her family’s fruit and tomato
business which kept her strong
and fit. When she finished up
working, she decided to head to
the gym. She’s been attending
three times a week for the past
four years.
Onekawa has kept up
consistent gym practice for more
than 12 years. She now attends
Female Federation five times a
week.
Onekawa can do multiple
push-ups, straight-backed
with her knees up. She also said
she can do side plank rotations
and dips, and has completed
200m within 15 minutes on the
ski erg.
Clark knows the importance of
rest days. She has been attending
the gym on and off since 1998,
and in spite of a hip replacement
CAMARADERIE: Lin Clark, Isabel Mundy and Ngaire Onekawa all attend the gym multiple
times a week, incorporating cardio, strength training, Pilates and balance exercises into
their practice.
PHOTO: GEOFF SLOAN
taking her out of the game for
a while, she is building up her
practice one again. Clark enjoys
chin-ups, the chest press and leg
press.
“It’s a relief to find you’re still
strong,” she said.
When answering why they
attended the gym, Onekawa
promptly stood up from her
chair. “This is why,” she said.
Mundy agreed: “To keep my
core strong!”
Clark said: “As you get older,
the physical stuff becomes
terribly important and you
become more aware of your body
and how it works.”
“Coming to the gym is a
positive step to being a strong
and complete person.”
For Clark, getting to the gym
is also important for the mental
benefits. Her life passions have
been education and theatre;
in 2019, she was awarded the
prestigious Drama New Zealand
President’s Award, given to
someone who has significantly
contributed to the drama space
over their lifetime.
They all share the same goal:
To keep going.
There is strong camaraderie
between the three women,
and they love being part of
the community at Female
Federation.
Onekawa said she gets coffee
twice a week with her new found
gym friends.
“It’s a sisterhood here,” said
Clark.
Jill Kennedy, their personal
trainer is 64-years-old. She
only has glowing reviews of
the fitness levels of the three
women.
“I cannot wait til I retire to
be able to work out with them
all.”
Clark said: “We are lucky
enough to be able to work out,
and so we choose to make the
most of this and continue to stay
fit.”
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