In Tampere, Finland, as she won the gold medal in the 100-meter sprint, 94-year-old sprinter Bhagwani Devi made sure that the Indian flag was raised high. The nonagenarian athlete completed the distance in 24.74 seconds to cross the line before anyone could. Bhagwani Devi also earned a bronze medal for the county in the shot put event.
Bhagwani Devi qualified to represent India at the World Masters Athletics Championships after winning three gold medals at the National Masters Athletics Championships in Chennai. And prior to the event in Chennai, she had bagged three gold medals at the Delhi State Athletic Championships in the 100m dash, javelin throw and shot put events.
About World Masters Athletics Championships
The World Masters Athletics Championships is a meet for athletes above the age of 35. The competition categorizes the participants into an age band of 5 years.
Ex-MLA from Kerala won two bronze medals for India
In the World Masters Athletics competition held in Finland, an ex-MLA from Kerala won two bronze medals for India. Indian athlete MJ Jacob, 82, competed in the 200- and 800-meter hurdle events. He served as the LDF representative for the Piravom district.
The senior CPM party leader from Piravom bagged his medals in the 200m hurdles and 80m hurdles events in the M80 category, held for athletes between 80 years of age and 84 years of age.
Jacob had also won the gold medal in the 200m and 80m hurdles at the Kerala State Masters Athletics which was held earlier in 2022. The 82-year-old had also clinched the gold medal at the Asian Masters
Athletics Championships.
Achieving such brilliant athletic feats at such advanced age goes to show that age is no bar as long as the individuals train diligently, maintain a healthy lifestyle, exercise regularly and do not stray from their fitness routines.
