Allan Martin recently celebrated his 100th birthday on Sydney’s northern beaches, marking a milestone that many would consider the end of an active life. However, for this former award-winning journalist and television executive, it’s just another chapter in a story filled with energy, ambition, and a passion for challenges.
At 100 years old, Mr Martin still possesses the lung capacity of someone decades younger. Just last year, he sprinted 100 metres in 28.70 seconds, winning gold in the over 95s age group at the Australian Masters Games in Canberra. He was the only competitor in his age category, highlighting his unique position as a true outlier in the world of senior athletics.
“I’m still enjoying life at 100 years of age … that full level of fitness allows you to keep enjoying life,” Mr Martin said. His dedication to physical activity has been a cornerstone of his life, especially since retiring from television in his 60s. For him, athletics offered a new challenge in later life.
“My next goal is to lower that 100 metres record a little,” he said. “I think I’m within a second or two of reaching that goal.”
Mr Martin’s training now involves daily exercise and gym sessions. “I do 15 training minutes every day … going to the gym and gradually working up to a level,” he explained. This disciplined approach has kept him in top shape and continues to drive his ambitions.
A Career Filled with Impact
Born in New Zealand, Mr Martin built a career as a newshound, working as a radio broadcaster and TV producer. His work took him around the world before he eventually moved to Australia, where he became the first executive producer of the ABC’s nightly current affairs show, This Day Tonight.
The show, which debuted in 1967, was known for its mix of hard-hitting interviews, political satire, and other lighthearted segments. It attracted both praise and controversy, but Mr Martin recalls the experience fondly.
“It proved to be a bit of a hit … and was highly successful,” he said. “It was a fantastic spirit amongst the program.”
The show also served as a launching pad for several journalists who went on to become household names, including Mike Willesee, Richard Carleton, Andrew Olle, and Kerry O’Brien.
“After two years at the helm of This Day Tonight, I then moved to run the ABC’s flagship investigative journalism program Four Corners and was later promoted to head of Public Affairs Television at the ABC,” Mr Martin recalled. He later returned to New Zealand to take up a post as director general of TVNZ 2.
Finding Purpose in Later Years
Despite his impressive career, Mr Martin never saw retirement as a time to slow down. In fact, he found even more purpose in his older years.
In 2006, at the age of 80, he graduated with a PhD from the University of Auckland after completing a thesis titled Older Adulthood, Education and Social Change.
“This was a chance, if you’d like, to finish my academic career,” Mr Martin said. “I realised that was a real achievement for me.”
When asked about today’s media landscape, Mr Martin described it bluntly as “a mess.” However, he still spends much of his time learning, reading about physics, cosmology, and quantum mechanics online.
And there’s no rest just yet, with Mr Martin continuing to train in the hope of competing in athletics at this year’s World Masters Games in Korea this September. His journey is a testament to the power of determination, curiosity, and a refusal to let age define one’s potential.
