Strong and Vital No 4

Repor tage

Athletics New Record in the W90plus Age Group «The excitement of a competition keeps me going.»

Emma Maria Mazzenga is the name of the athlete who is breaking records in athletics. What makes her spe cial is that she will be 91 years old in August. The retired chemistry teacher from northern Italy recently became a worldwide sensation after she set the world record over 200 metres in her age group W90 at the indoor athletics competition in Padua (Italy) last January. She reached a speed of around 13 km/h. The senior runner achieved this remarkable feat in just 54.47 seconds, beating the then record of 1:00.72 set by Canadian Olga Kotelko. In an interview with Vogue Ita lia , the senior athlete revealed that she was not entirely satisfied despite her success, as she had even comple ted the 200 metres in less than 50 seconds in training the year before.

The senior athlete stopped running for many years after getting married and having two children. Her running career as a Masters athlete, which she began at the age of 53, was an important consolation in her later years, as the sport helped her to get through some difficult times in her life, such as the loss of her husband decades ago. Even during the COVID-19 lockdown, when it was forbidden

for older people in Italy to leave the house, she perse vered and waited until dark to sneak around the house incognito. Today, the soon-to-be 91-year-old continues to lead an active lifestyle. She starts every morning with a walk alongside her friend and incorporates cycling into her exercise routine, but when it rains, she is forced to use her exercise bike at home, as she explains. Her successful preparation pro gramme also includes three regular running training ses sions per week. «The adrenaline that every training session triggers in me is pure energy for my day.»

This performance is all the more impressive given that the runner resumed training less than a month before the competition after taking a break to recover from a sternum fracture. «It’s perseverance that leads to success.» Emma Maria Mazzenga set another world record in the W90 age group in May when she ran the 200 metres outdoors in 51.47 seconds, beating the previous record of 53.35 seconds set by Japan’s Emiko Saito (2022). The elderly woman currently holds five world records, nine European records and 28 Italian bests in various Sprint Mas ters categories. «Competitions are all opportunities The Italian athlete has now become a sporting legend. Her performances have been described on social media as «incredible» and «great». In her W90 age group, she normally has no direct competitors and knows from the outset that she will win. For this reason, her main goal is to run a good time. And the good thing is that the best victory is always the next one, because every athlete strives to keep improving. Emma Maria’s resilience and commitment stem from her life long passion for running, which she developed during her time at university. to get to know new people and compare myself with others.»

The retired chemistry teacher has a son and a daughter as well as a 20-year-old grandson. At almost 91, she still drives her Fiat 500 and when she is not training, she tidies up her house full of medals and trophies, reads, watches TV, goes to the cinema, is active on social media and visits exhibitions. The bundle of energy never stands still and loves being around people. This exemplary lifestyle keeps her active, curious about the world and always up to date. Emma Maria’s story reminds us that age doesn’t have to be a barrier to pursuing your passions and even breaking records. «The secret? Never stop.» Her next commitments include the World Masters Athle tics in Gothenburg (Sweden) in August 2024. Otherwise, the runner prefers not to make any long-term plans. But one thing is certain: Quitting running is out of the question.

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STRONG and VITAL No. 4 - 2024