Irene Obera - Sprinting at 84 years-old
““I believe in the phrase ‘If you don’t use it, you lose it.’ If you were able to find joy in sports, why not continue the pleasure? “”
If I asked you to picture a woman in her 80s you probably would visualise, an older adult who might be quite sedentary, dealing with health issues and physically much weaker than her younger years, but it doesn’t have to be that way!
Irene Obera, 84 [in 2018], is one of a growing number of so-called 'superagers', who are living long, healthy and functionally capable lives. The one factor these superagers have in common? They all place a significant emphasis on physical activity as part of their lifestyle.
Irene is the fastest woman in her age group on the planet - she can sprint 100m in 16.81 seconds and also keeps active outside of her training regimen too - inspirational!
Of course, there are never any guarantees but we often confuse the harmful effects of physical inactivity with the ageing process itself.
You may not have her physical ability or desires to compete and break world records—but we can certainly take onboard and embrace her mindset of movement, variety, purpose and fun!
So what's her diet like?
"I have never had a specific diet, but I have always tried to have a healthy diet. I eat balanced meals including vegetables and protein. I eat rice and I love fish. I think that having a healthy diet and always trying to eat well has really helped me prolong my career and keep me healthy and active into my eighties."
Oct 24, 2016
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