Sunrise Resident and Former Olympic Medalist Recalls His Triumphs

Sunrise of Winchester resident and former Olympic medallist, Adrian Metcalfe, returned to the track to bring back memories of his former triumphs.

Having won a silver medal in the 4 x 100m relay at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, Adrian set foot on the track of Winchester University sports stadium, accompanied by team members from Sunrise of Winchester. 

At first unsure, Adrian quickly found himself at home again when in the stadium. Reminded of his days in the Olympics, Adrian saw the track, held his medal, and smiled.

Eager to be reunited with the track, Adrian walked all the way around it at an impressive pace, and crossed the finish line with the same fierce determination as he did in 1964. He was cheered on by other Sunrise residents who had come to watch.

The memory care team at Sunrise of Winchester were inspired to take Adrian to the track after he recently received some photos of his participation in the Olympics from a close friend.

Having been touched by Adrian’s joyful response to the photos, the team used the community’s iPad to search for video footage of Adrian finishing the 4x100m relay at the Commonwealth Games, at which he also won a silver medal.

The team at Sunrise of Winchester continually provide residents with opportunities to partake in engaging activities and events that bring back positive memories.

This is part of the community’s high quality, personalised dementia care, which is accompanied by a similarly excellent standard of nursing care and assisted living, focused on a range of individual needs.

Louise Murkin, Activities and Volunteer Coordinator at Sunrise of Winchester, said:

“Adrian’s visit to the Winchester University sports stadium brought back a whole host of memories related to his former glories, and we were all delighted to see him get so much pleasure from the trip.

“Everyone at Sunrise of Winchester was inspired by Adrian’s willingness and excitement to revisit the track. The experience not only had a positive impact on Adrian, but also on the other team members and residents in our community.

“The moment Adrian crossed the finish line was incredibly touching for those of us who went along, and I couldn’t help but feel that moments like this are what our job is all about.”

What an amazing day Sunrise provided for Adrian. I'm sure we would all like as much effort put into the care of our own loved ones. If you would like to find out more about Sunrise of Winchester, visit their website.