Karen Brooks wins two gold medals at World Masters Championships in Sweden

The Corby Athletic Club runner who entered the global championships as a second claim member of Harborough Athletics Club was part of the GB team that won a total 187 medals – 70 gold – 60 silver and 57 bronze.

The British team finished third overall on the medals with a total of 187 medals – 70 gold – 60 silver and 57 bronze. The USA team won the championships title with a staggering 247 medals, followed in second place by Germany with 203 medals.

Brooks grabbed two gold medals in the 800m and 1 500m races for the women's 65-70 age group at major events where athletes were paired to fight it out in many track and field events in varied age groupings.

The long-saving avid runner kick-started the competition with an emphatic victory in the 800m race, clocking 2:43:54 and narrowly missed breaking the current European record in the two-lap event.

Brooks had the courage for better results in the final after having won the heat. She got off to a fast pace in the final and outperformed her opposition to beat the second placed Atsuko Nakayama of Japan who recorded a time of 2:48:58. Swedish athlete Gunnel Tolfes who had more support from the local spectators finished third in 2:50:20.

In the second week of the masters’ championships, Brooks had another encounter with Nakayama in the 1 500m final. Nakayama was rated the pre-race favourite, but she faded in the middle of the contest, while Brooks held on with a powerful kick to win her second gold medal in 5:35:82.

This was after the two runners had exchanged the lead upfront. Nakayama eventually came third in 5:45:39. Nancy Simmons of the USA charged hard from behind in the closing stages to finish second in 5.38.60.

Ahead of the World Masters Athletics Championships - Brooks used the British Masters Athletics Championships at Moorways Stadium in Derby, as part of her intense preparations for the global event.

She won both the 800m and 1 500m races in Derby and set a new British and European record in the 1 500m with a time of 5:30:54.

The World Masters Championships is specifically for athletes aged over 35 up to the 80 age group brackets. It has gained significant world-wide popularity since its formation in 1975 and it attracted over 8 000 competitors from 111 countries.