Ruth Frith

Ruth Frith (OAM)

Personal information
Birth name	Ruth Pursehouse
Born	23 August 1909 Goulburn, New South Wales
Died	28 February 2014 Algester, Queensland, Australia (aged 104)
Education	Goulburn High School
Occupations	Masters athlete sports coach sport officiator club executive and secretary
Sport
Country	AUS
Sport	Throws pentathlon
Events	Master World Record in W85 Triple Jump W100 Shot Put W100 Discus W100 hammer throw W100 weight throw W100 javelin at the 2009 World Masters Games aged 100

Ruth Pauline Frith OAM (born Ruth Pursehouse, 23 August 1909 – 28 February 2014) was an Australian centenarian masters athlete, and was the oldest active athlete.^[1] She is the current holder of the masters world record in numerous events including the W85 Triple Jump, W100 Shot Put, Discus, Hammer Throw, Weight Throw and Javelin Throw and was the oldest competitor to complete a Throws Pentathlon and thus holds the record in that event.^[2] In younger age divisions, she held many more records that have been surpassed.

Her famous quote for longevity:

“Don’t eat vegetables, because I never eat vegetables. I know people that like diets that will scream at me, (but) don’t eat vegetables. I never have.”^[3]

She was the mother of Australian Olympic jumper and pentathlete Helen Frith,^[4][5] who under her married name of Searle is also a multiple masters world record holder.