AT THE age of 76, Barry McMahon is a sensational singer and an amazing athlete.
As a young man, the Keilor resident’s arm was severely injured when his car was side-swiped by another vehicle.
Despite losing much of the arm’s mobility, Mr McMahon went on to have a career as a butcher and later, he spent 14 years working for Brimbank City Council’s Parks and Gardens department.
At age 40, Mr McMahon decided to take up marathon running and took part in the annual ‘Frankston to Melbourne’ event several times.
A few years ago, at the World Masters Games in Albert Park, Mr McMahon received a silver medal in the over-65s steeplechase 200 metre event and bronze for the eight kilometre cross country.
Nowadays, Mr McMahon, who has five grand-children, runs 10km around Brimbank Park every week.
In addition, he has been a member of the Victoria Welsh Male Choir for 13 years.
The group performs in around 30 concerts every year, has put out nine albums and last year toured Wales and England as part of the pre-Olympics Wales Choir of the World Tour.
“We’re like a big happy family and we all love singing, you have to because of all the time we devote to it,” Mr McMahon said.
He joined the choir after attending one of their shows with his wife.
“It’s just a beautiful choir and when I went along I thought, ‘I’d love to sing like that’,” Mr McMahon said.
The Victoria Welsh Male Choir will perform 3pm on 21 April at the Holy Trinity Church in Williamstown. For more information visit http://victoriawelshchoir.com.au
