40 FOCUS - SEPTEMBER 2017 Paul is the 2017 Canadian Masters Discus Champion in his age group (80 to 85). He is better known locally for his historical books, walks and talks, his occasional stroll around town as Joseph Bigelow, Port Perry’ first mayor (1872) and his articles in Focus on Scugog. At the Ontario Master’s Championship at the Varsity stadium in Toronto on August 4 and 5, Paul threw a dis- tance of 21.42 M to win his age category, making him the Ontario Champion. On Saturday August 12 he competed in the Canadian Championships held at the York University Track and Field Facility. Paul won this one too and became the Canadian champion in his age group. In Masters competitions, track and field events are ar- ranged in age categories in five-year progressions begin- ning at age 30. Paul, who is 82 years old, competed in the 80 to 85-age category. The Canadian Championships were held in conjunction with the NCCWMA, the North and Central American and Caribbean Masters Athletics Championship. Over 1000 athletes from all over the Americas competed in this three- day event, 500 from the United States alone! Paul won the silver medal in this event, losing out to Emilio D’Andun of Mexico. Third place was Benjamin Miranda from Puerto Rico. While a history teacher at Port Perry High School, Paul coached basketball and track and field and took a keen in- terest in discus throwing. He coached many local athletes to success in that event: Neil Deshane, Vaughan McKee, Shelley Olsen, Lisa Feesby, Bill Fielding and Rick Goris. Prior to coming to Port Perry High School in September 1970, Paul coached Jane Haist to a national championship. Jane then went on to win gold at the 1974 Commonwealth Games and was a member of the 1976 Canadian Olympic team. What got you back into Discus throwing? “I was out driving one day and needed to make a turn and turned my head to check my blind spot and realized that I was losing flexibility in my neck. I decided to do some light exercises to regain some flexibility and realized that the rotation ex- ercises that I was doing were similar to the ones that I had used in coaching discus. When I looked at the distances ‘DISCUS’ Let’s this . . . Meet the new 2017 Canadian Masters’ Discus champion: Port Perry’s own PAUL ARCULUS Paul proudly wearing his medals. PHOTO BY MARYANN FLEMING