When Morland Smith won the Queensland secondary schools one-mile championship as a teenager, he could hardly have imagined where running would take him. Now 88, he is preparing to compete at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, with no intention of slowing down.
Morland has been a patient at the Lions Eye Institute for over 30 years. He was originally treated by Emeritus Professor Ian Constable AO, and now sees Professor Chandra Balaratnasingam. He lives with dry AMD, a condition that affects central vision, and today relies on his peripheral sight. It has reshaped how he runs, but not whether he does.
| When it came to competing in para athletics for the first time, the Institute played a direct role. Professor Balaratnasingam submitted an ophthalmology report to Paralympics Australia, which – following additional assessments at the University of Western Australia – granted Morland a T13 classification, permitting him to have a sighted assistant help him on the track. He found it opened up more than he expected. “The para qualification was beneficial, especially in events like the steeplechase, as permission was granted for carers to assist me in the water jump component,” he says. |
 Morland at age 86 competing in a steeplechase event at the WA State Championships in March 2024, photographed by his daughter Cathy Middleton |
In September 2025, at the Oceania Masters Athletics Championships in Brisbane, Morland entered seven events and won seven gold medals. Though he was the only competitor in his 85-89 age division, this is still his best championship haul to date, and his son was there to assist him on the track. Daegu will be a different proposition, with competitors in Morland’s M85 age division attending from as far abroad as Canada, the US, Brazil and Japan. Nevertheless, “I would be hopeful of obtaining a couple of medals,” he says. In Daegu, Morland will be assisted by his daughter and son-in-law.
 Morland at age 87 with his seven medals from the Oceania Masters Athletics Competition in Brisbane in September 2025, photographed by his son Tony Smith |
To others facing vision loss and wondering what remains possible, his advice is clear:
“I would suggest that they endeavour to participate in sporting events, perhaps with the assistance of a carer for support.” At 88, with no ailments and no medications, Morland Smith is proof of what that looks like in practice. Stories like Morland’s are made possible by the generosity of people like you. This Medical Research Giving Day, help us continue to fund world-leading research that protects sight, restores vision, and brings hope to people living with eye disease. |
