Age is No Barrier to These Adults
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Ruth Frith, left, at age 103, is perhaps the world’s oldest track and field athlete still in competition. Read about her and three others who will compete in the 2013 World Masters Games in August. Click here to view article.
Like the Olympics, the World Masters Games are contested every four years, attract athletes from around the world and award winners with coveted gold medals. Unlike the Olympics, the athletes at the Masters Games range in age from 25 to over 100 and compete in their age groups. This year, the games will be held in August in Turin, Italy. The last games, held in 2009 in Sydney, Australia, attracted more than 28,000 athletes who competed in 30 different sports. Here are a few of the standout older athletes from the Sydney Games:
Ruth Frith, Australia
Now 103, Ruth Frith is perhaps the world’s oldest track and field athlete still in competition. Inspired by her daughter, two-time Olympian Helen Searle, Ruth took up track and field at the age of 74. By the time she was 85, she held age-group records in the 100-meter dash, long jump, triple jump and all of the throwing events. Ruth continues to participate in throwing events such as the shot put and hammer throw.
Olga Kotelko, Canada
Olga Kotelko, 94, says that Ruth Frith is her inspiration. Like Ruth, Olga took up track and field later in life, at age 77. At international competitions, Olga often competes in as many as 10 events and usually wins gold medals in all of them. Olga has been the subject of a study at McGill University in Montreal on the effects of exercise in slowing down the aging process. Whether because of genetics or exercise or a combination of the two, tissue samples taken from Olga’s muscles show little age-related decline.
John Deininger, United States
John Deininger, 74, has been a champion diver since his high school years. In early adulthood, he became a professional diver and entertained in aquatic shows, sometimes diving from heights of 130 feet. John used his savings from aquatic shows to become an architect while still maintaining his love of diving. In 1974, he helped found the U.S. Masters Diving Association. John has been the recipient of more than 200 medals in national and international masters diving competitions.
Margo Bates, Australia
Margo Bates, 102, has mobility problems on land but not in water. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, she is likely the oldest competitive swimmer in the world. Partially blind, she uses the black lines on pool bottoms to guide her. Margo competed in her first swimming competition at age 87 and since that time has won nearly 200 medals in regional, national and international competitions. At the Sydney World Masters Games, she said to never mention the world “old” to her “unless you put a ‘g’ in front of it.”
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