Going For Gold . . . . . At The Age Of 100

'Fit Fun and Forever Young' - that's the slogan for the 2009 World Masters Games currently going on in Sydney and they mean it - For in these games anybody from 25 to 100+, is welcome to compete in any sport they see fit.

The seven-day event, which started on October 11th, features 28 sports, that include core ones like swimming and tennis, as well as, popular local sports like surf lifesaving and field hockey.

As is the case with any such event, this one too has already produced some 'star' athletes. The biggest one so far, is 100-year old Ruth Frith, a great-grandmother from Queensland who has taken the world by storm by winning the gold medal in shot put.

Ruth who won in the 100 -104 age category, was the only competitor and had to only show up to receive her medal. However, this feisty great-grandma wanted to show the world she still had it in her and wowed the audience with her 4.07m throw.

Her fitness secret? - she walks every day and does five bench presses a week using 80lbs weights - And of course, eats healthy - Lots of meat and bread and no vegetables!

Ruth's stellar performance inspired 'younger' athlete 90-year old Olga Kotelka from Canada so much, that she broke a nine-year old shot put world record in her age group.

Other outstanding athletes this year, include an 80-year old who goes by the name of Santa Claus and competes barefoot in the 80-84 age, 100m dash and 77-year old Ken Saunders, who plans to run a half-marathon after undergoing open-heart surgery in November. Shows you can do anything you wish if you set your heart on it!

The World Masters Games was first held in Toronto, Canada in 1985. Since then, the event, which takes place once every four years, has been held in many countries and become quite popular. This year, 28,000 people of all ages have converged to Sydney to demonstrate to the world, that age should not be a barrier to having fun and being fit!

sources: 2009worldmasters.com, dailymail.co.uk, newslite.com, wikipedia.org