The largest multi-sporting event in history saw 28,000 competitors from 95 countries competing in 28 different sports at 72 venues across Sydney during October.

Mrs Cooper was presented with the silver medal on a boat in Sydney Harbour as thousands celebrated the closing ceremony.

“It was excellent it made you feel so good, the lights of the harbour, it was beautiful,” she said.

“It was a brilliant week.

“A happy, good, sporting atmosphere,”

Despite having first picked up a squash racquet 51 years ago it was the first time Mrs Cooper had played by international rules, which are designed to make the game “very fast’’.

Mrs Cooper plucked off opponents from New Zealand, Germany, Canada and Australia before relinquishing the gold to another Aussie.

“It was do-or-die, unfortunately I pipped out on the last point in the fifth game,” she said.

“It was a good game it could have gone either way.”

The silver medal at the World Masters caps off a terrific year for Mrs Cooper who won the State championships, earned a second place in the Australian championships and most importantly, for her, she became the first recipient of the Grahame Barry Perpetual Trophy.