Emily MacDonald, a 45-year-old mother-of-six from County Durham, will compete in the high jump at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, this month. She returned to the sport five years ago after a hiatus of more than two decades.
Return to high jump
Emily gave up high jumping when she was 18 and took it up again after her youngest child was born during the coronavirus pandemic. She had to lose about five stone to start competing again. She snapped her calf muscle in the process but did not let the injury stop her.
In May, she discovered she was ranked number one for her age range and decided she needed to compete at the Masters Athletics Stadia Championships in Daegu. She set up an online fundraising page to fund the trip and has raised just over £2,200 of the £3,000 needed.
Training and family life
Emily, from Gosforth but now living in Stanley, County Durham, said: "I'm in the best shape I have ever been in and I'm feeling really positive about it. I’m training really hard. I'm really hoping I can be at my best and maybe even get a personal best."
She juggles high jumping with being a single mum, working full-time as a probate researcher, volunteering as a high jump coach at Gateshead Harriers, and playing as a goalkeeper for Whickham Fellgate Ladies. She is mum to Rachel, 18, Ben, 17, Juliette, 13, Alice, nine, Francesca, seven, and Sylvie, five.
Personal best and inspiration
Emily competed in the V40 UK High Jump Championships in 2021 and was ranked 7th in the world. In May this year, she jumped a new personal best in her new 45 age group. She said: "In May, I was ranked World number one for 2026 in the World Masters rankings online. When I knew I was top of the world ranks I thought I have to go to Korea while I can!"
Emily lost her mum Isobel Turner to suicide when she was three. She first tried high jump in a PE lesson at Gosforth East Middle School when she was 11. She won the English School Championships at 16 and the GB under 20 championships at 18, as well as the Newcastle Rising Star Award.
On her Go Fund Me page, she says: "I hope I am still high jumping when I am 100, inspiring others to take part and keeping the bar high."
