Saint John’s Paul Gautier Named Canadian Masters Field Athlete of the Year

Saint John Athlete Named Canadian Masters Field Athlete of the Year Following Record-Breaking Season

SAINT JOHN, N.B. — For most athletes, setting a national record would be the highlight of a season. For Saint John’s Paul Gautier, it became a recurring theme throughout an extraordinary 2025 campaign that culminated in being named the recipient of the prestigious Olga Kotelko Award.

Presented annually by Canadian Masters Athletics, the Olga Kotelko Award recognizes the top field athlete in Canadian Masters Athletics and is named in honour of one of Canada’s most celebrated masters athletes. For Gautier, the recognition capped a season that saw him rewrite the Canadian record books, compete against the world’s best masters athletes, and earn remarkable success at the national level.

The season began close to home at the Red & Black Open in Saint John, where Gautier made an immediate impact in the M60 age category. Competing in his first major meet of the year, he established new Canadian indoor M60 records in both the shot put and weight throw.

Those performances proved to be only the beginning.

Throughout the indoor season, Gautier broke the Canadian M60 indoor shot put record five times, culminating in a throw of 14.78 metres. That performance earned him a fourth-place finish at the World Masters Indoor Championships in Gainesville, Florida.

His success extended beyond the shot put. Gautier also improved the Canadian M60 indoor weight throw record on four separate occasions before finishing fifth in the event at the World Masters Indoor Championships.

The momentum continued into the outdoor season. Although Gautier competed in only four outdoor meets, he made every competition count.

One of the defining moments of his season came in the Throws Pentathlon, a challenging five-event competition consisting of the hammer throw, shot put, discus, javelin, and weight throw. Displaying exceptional consistency across all five disciplines, Gautier established a new Canadian M60 record, breaking a mark that had stood for 20 years. The achievement highlighted not only his strength as a thrower but also his versatility across multiple events.

Gautier concluded his season at the Canadian Masters Outdoor Championships in Laval, Que., where he delivered another series of outstanding performances. Over three days of competition, he entered nine events, including the Throws Pentathlon, shot put, hammer throw, javelin, discus, long jump, triple jump, high jump, and weight throw.

Despite the demanding schedule, he saved one of his finest performances for the final event of the championships. In the weight throw, Gautier launched the 20-pound implement 18.62 metres to establish yet another Canadian M60 record.

The throw capped a remarkable championship weekend that saw him collect six gold medals and three silver medals.

While records and medals often define an athlete’s season, Gautier’s accomplishments represent something even greater. At age 60, he continues to demonstrate that athletic excellence is not limited by age and that dedication, preparation, and perseverance can still produce world-class performances.

His achievements throughout 2025 not only earned him national recognition but also showcased the strength of masters athletics in Saint John and across New Brunswick.

By season’s end, the statistics spoke for themselves: multiple Canadian records, top-five finishes at the World Masters Indoor Championships, a Canadian record in the Throws Pentathlon, six Canadian championship titles, and recognition as Canada’s top masters field athlete.

It was, by any measure, a season for the record books.