Mana Anandavel was 60 when she decided to embrace her love for the tracks once again. The motivation? It was the dream of her younger son, who passed away at the age of 32 in 2008, to see his mother fulfill her aspirations one day.

Mana is 71 now but there is no change in either her daily practice schedule or her energy. She remembers how even as a young girl she aced all the sporting events in her school. “Back in my school days in Madurai, I did not fare well in academics but used to win all the sporting events in school. I have always had plenty of physical energy and an abundance of stamina. My maternal grandfather was the inspiration for my father to get fit and take up sports for fitness. But after I got married at the age of 17, I had to leave behind sports,” she said.

The next time she would re-enter the sport was when she was 45. “My cousin was conducting a sports meet for senior citizens in the year 1991. I went there as a spectator along with my daughter-in-law. I was thrilled when I saw track and field events taking place, and asked the organizers if I could participate in the shot put and discus. I went home with two gold medals that day,” she recalled.

“But I had undergone a major surgery just recently, so my husband stopped me from going overboard with physical activity. For the next 10 to 15 years, I did not actively participate in sports, right until the age of 60,” she added. But not the one to sit idle, she soon began attending aerobic classes conducted by Stina Vasu to focus on her fitness and stay prepared.

“My younger son knew my aspirations. He used to encourage me and sent me track pants and T-shirts, shoes and vitamin tablets from Australia. But he passed away at the age of 32 in 2008. His desire was to make me participate in world masters meet,” she said. It was his untimely demise that propelled her to start taking part in sports like hammer throw, discus, shot put and hurdles, again. “In a way, I was fulfilling my late son’s dream,” she explained.

“I have won medals in all the events that I have participated in since 2008,” she shared, “Thanks to the support and encouragement that I get from my coach, CK Stalin, and sports medicine consultant, Dr Kannan Pugazhendi. When I am on the track, their faces are what come to my mind, and make me all the more determined.”

“I undergo strength training for my arms ahead of any masters sports meet. But other than that, I go for daily workouts for two hours to keep myself fit. It is only closer to the date of the event that I begin prepping for sport-specific training, which in my case is both shotput and hammer throw,” she said. She makes it a point to not miss even a single day of cardio, weight training and other workout sessions.

She has won three gold medals at a district master athlete meet held on September 30 this year.

H/T: The Hindu