Veteran Athletes

Mom's eldest sister, Tante O, is a veteran athlete. Last July she won gold medals at Indonesian athletic tournament in Bandung for 200 meter sprint and long jump, plus another medal for 100 meter sprint. She's 74 years old, but I wont be able to beat any of her records.

She might be competing again in Kuala Lumpur this December.

This morning she was at the Immigration office to get her new passport. When she got there she was asked what she was. 'I'am an athlete', replied Tante O. The guy inquired what kind of athlete. She told him that she's a sprinter of 100m, 200m and 400m and a long jumper. The guy was surprised, 'Long jump?' I think he thought my aunt was just pulling his leg, a tiny elderly lady telling him not only she is a sprinter, not 'was a sprinter' but 'is a sprinter' and a long jumper.

Tante O then waited for her turn. Suddenly someone approached her and told her that someone would like to talk to her. Off she went. The guy inside one of the rooms asked her again about being an athlete, 'So, you said you were an athlete.' 'Yes, I am.' replied my aunt. 'At your age? what kind of athlete?' asked the guy. Tante O who happened to carry her medals took them out of her bag and showed them to him while telling him her sports. He then asked about her records. She told him that she ran 200m in a little over 30 seconds, and she jumped 2.4meter. He kept nodding his head and was impressed since he cant even do all those things.

My aunt, my high school PE teacher (she's now in her 80s) and their friends are fabulous veteran athletes who compete in and outside Indonesia and won. It is a pity that the government and media dont really support the veteran athletes, because from what I know about them, they have a good result each time they compete in the International level. Perhaps we can use veteran athletes as an example for our younger athletes especially in the athletics field, because some of them even hold world record for their age category.