Preparing for the 2012 Summer Olympics, Germany hosted the Gymnastics Challenge Cup in the city of Cottbus last month.
While gymnastics is often a sport that features 15-year-olds , one tumbler stood out — because she’s 86 years old.
Johanna Quaas set a world record, while the competitors were resting. Her floor exercise routine included cartwheels, handstands and somersaults. At the front of a cheering crowd, she executed a full “planche” on the parallel bars, raising her outstretched body parallel with the ground, supported by just her arms.
Quaas has won nearly a dozen medals in senior gymnastics competitions
London’s Telegraph newspaper reported that Quaas picked up the sport at age 30. In an interview with Gymmedia, she recalled being a member of (then) East Germany’s championship handball team in 1954.
Much of this entry is copy-paste. Acknowledge sources please!
Wow!
ReplyDeleteI think it is amazing how an 86 year old woman can still be able to do these types of acrobacies. I think that this woman is an example of showing that even 86 year olds can follow their dreams and still be classified as the best of the world in some sort of competition.
The fact of her doing summersaults and handstands with that facility was quite surprising as I imagined my grandme being in that situation and it actually made me laugh because she isn't quite flexible.
Paulina Torras A.
Quass Johanna's case is clearly an example of overcoming which shows us that there's no age to practice any sport. No matter how old you are, or if you have any physical disability that there is always a possibility to practice the sport you've always yearned.
ReplyDeleteHowever, we must take into account that, the case of this erderly women is a completely and exception as, any women with 86 years old is physically incapable of doing such exercises but for an unknown reason Queen dos. We must also bear in mind that the young elderly woman had to train hard for her body to adapt to these training conditions.
LUIS CALSAPEU BONDIA
I think it is so amazing that an 86 year-old lady can bend herself and jump around so naturally. Some young people are not able to do such a thing and that’s why the capacity of an old person doing this should be worldwide recognized. No wonder she won 12 gold medals, she surely is a natural gifted gymnast. We also have to take into consideration that she started practicing this type of sport when she was thirty, by the time people get to this age, they have usually lost practically all their flexibility and this woman has demonstrated that this is not always true.
ReplyDeletePeople like her are admired by a big amount of people as she is unique, I’m sure there is no other person in the world that is able to do gymnastics at her age, and that’s what makes her special.
Gemma Roig
After reading this post I was shocked! This woman is unbelievable! I can’t believe how this woman is able to do what she does at her old age. I’m not able to do that at all and I’m just seventeen! I think she deserves everything, all the awards possible. Having that energy and that enthusiasm for something she truly loves is amazing.
ReplyDeleteWhat’s more she hasn’t even thought about surrendering because of her age, she is been fighting no matter what. She hasn’t given up after all these years and she has established a record, she should and must be proud of herself for her achievements.
I truly appreciate her acts as I don’t think I would continue this way when I reach her old age. She has followed her dreams without thinking it twice and I envy her for leaving everything to one side and do what she really wants to do.
I think we all agree on the fact that this woman’s skills are extraordinary given she is eighty six years old. Taking into account that most gymnasts nowadays are considerably young, ranging between 10 and 20 years of age, this woman is the living proof that determination, effort and passion blended together are the key to fulfilling any ambition, no matter how hard or challenging it may be.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what Johanna Quaas has done; she has managed to achieve what no one would have ever imagined possible, an elderly woman executing moves such as cartwheels, handstands and somersaults which require levels of flexibility, agility and strength that most people lack at her age.
Because of this, I believe we should praise her and people who want to accomplish challenging goals in their lives should follow her example.
Lucas Drobnitzky
Wow! It’s amazing! I really admire people that keep being in shape over the years. It is amazing that this old lady keeps on following her passion and doesn’t want to give it up.
ReplyDeleteWatching this lady we can see her amazing technique, and she is an example of that in any sport such as soccer, tennis, golf…the technique is never lost no matter how many years go by. As an example we can see famous tennis or soccer players when they play exhibition matches when aged 40 or 50 we see they haven’t lost their techniques. Of course they can be slower or fatter and get tired more easily but they still have the same technique and habits as they did in their best days.
Dani Roura
In my opinion what Johanna Quaas has achieved is really memorable, when I look at things like this I really think human beings have no limits and that with motivation they can achieve practically anything.
ReplyDeleteGymnastics is not an easy sport and people over 28 are already too old to practice the sport as a top level. An example of that is that most gymnasts of the world champs are between 16 and 24 and that the most memorable gymnast of Spain, Almudena Cid, had to retire a few years ago at the age of 28 because she was too old to continue at the maximum level.
Johanna Quass had the bad luck to start the sport of her dreams when she was 30, already too old to be one of the bests, but at least she has been enjoying the sport for 56 years more and practicing what she wanted to do.
There are lots of sportsmen who after retiring find that they can live without sports and come back to the first level, this is the case of Lance Armstrong in cycling, Paul Scholes in football, Michael Schumacher in F1 and a wide list. People like them or Johanna Quass show everyone that there is no age limit to do something if you really enjoy it. What they transmit, I think is fascinating.
Although is really memorable what this women is doing, I think there are some limits and I think this women shouldn’t continue with this sport, to be a gymnast you have to be really elastic and make some incredible postures which at an old age could really be dangerous for old people’s life.
Jaume PLanas