A FORMER AFL player from Karrinyup will use his little athletics background to his advantage at the 2016 World Masters Athletics javelin event on Saturday.
Matt Clape is among more than 4000 athletes from 95 countries competing in the championships.
Clape played 87 games for West Coast and Carlton between 1992 and 1998.
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READ NOWThe 47-year-old said he was looking forward to his first masters’ campaign.
“It is certainly my first time entering in the world masters with the competition being here in Perth, I have a good friend who is organising the whole thing, it puts some pressure on to actually go into it,” he said.
“I used to do javelin in Little Athletics which is obviously a long, long time ago.
“This is a bit of a once-off, I do not compete in athletics at any stage but it is a great opportunity to represent your country and that is a scrapbook moment.”
Clape said his body was “falling apart” but he still did regular exercise.
“I try and keep relatively fit like walking my dog and doing a bit of surfing here and there but given what is happening in the water at the moment, I do not get down there as often as I would like,” he said.
In terms of his chances at the event, he hoped he would not finish in last place.
“Certainly one gentleman from Germany is going to probably double or even triple my throw,” he said.
“The best thing for me is to throw a reasonable amount which I seriously doubt but I will see how it goes from there.”
He will contest in the 45-49 age bracket of javelin throwers at the Ern Clark Athletic Centre in Cannington.