“Form is temporary but class is permanent.” Is a popular saying in sporting circles. The last couple of days at The World Games have provided various examples of this at work.
There are many athletes who come back to the spectacular multi-sports event edition after edition and amazingly still have the ability to find themselves on the medal podium one more time. So yesterday the remarkable French Lifesaving athlete Magali Rousseau picked up bronze, her tenth medal in total at The World Games at the mature age of 37. Today Dick Jaspers the 60 year old Dutch Billiards star, who is the most medalled player in his sport at the quadrennial extravaganza, began his defence of the gold medal he won at Birmingham 2022.
These are just a handful of the many athletes, who despite their advancing years are still able to pull out a medal winning performance when it matters. There are an incredible 178 athletes over the age of 40, who are present in Chengdu. Remembering that everyone who qualifies for The World Games does so on merit, this means there are plenty of extremely experienced sports people with remarkable stories present in China. The sports they participate in are equally varied, there are some strenuous sports like Motosurf, Ju-jitsu, Racquetball, Fistball and more sedate ones such as Disc Golf and Archery. Let's find out more about the Chengdu athletes who are proving that old is Gold!
Dick Jaspers is now appearing in his sixth edition of The World Games, made his debut in Akita, Japan way back in 2001. He reached the final where he lost to his great rival Daniel Sanchez. Four years later, same pairing, same result. The first of his two gold medals was in the Chinese Taipei edition of 2009. Billiards is a sport where experience counts a lot, as you have had years of practise, judging and making the same shots.
49 year old Swedish Barebow Archer Eric Jonsson won back to back golds in Akita and then Duisburg 2005. He had an unexpected reprieve in his Birmingham semi final. Jonsson had not shot well and his opponent only needed an easily obtainable three points with his final shot However nerves struck and the two pointer meant a one arrow shootout, Jonsson was marginally nearer to the centre and went on to claim his third gold. Wife Lina Bjorklund (45) has a full set of medals from her three appearances at The World Games. Archery also provides the oldest athlete in Chengdu, 68 year old Gary Yamaguchi from the United States.
The third Akita 2001 graduate Yukako Fukushima, medalled in her home Games and every edition since then; apart from 2005, when she did not qualify. Her crowning moment came at the Birmingham 2022 edition, when she ascended the top step of the podium for the first time, at the ripe age of 52! She will be competing in Chengdu, where she is the oldest competitor in Powerlifting. Her vast experience, excellent technique and calm approach to lifting means she will be favourite for back to back golds.
44 year old Vanita Krouch had to settle for silver in Alabama as Mexico’s Diana Flores threw touchdown after touchdown in the Flag Football Final. However the veteran American quarterback got her revenge in the most recent World Championship Final. Flores repeatedly passed over the heads of her receivers, whilst Krouch schooled her in how it should be done. Expect a classic, if and when these two talented nations meet in the Chengdu Final.
The Freediving competition for athletes with impairments is providing plenty of opportunities for the more mature competitors to shine; with Italians Alessandro Cianfoni, Pierluigi Bonafin, and Gianluca Visconti all born in 1972. The Freediving is an Underwater Swimming event where competitors must hold their breath for as long as possible before surfacing.There are competitions in how far an athlete can swim, and how long they can hold their breath for.
It is in the swimming pool that Magali Rousseau has made her mark at The World Games. She originally was involved in conventional swimming, where as a 22 year old, she represented France in the 200m Butterfly at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. She realised that she could prolong her career by switching to Lifesaving. She was the star of the Cali 2013 edition in Colombia winning 4 gold and one bronze. Her return to China has enabled her to claim one each of the lesser medals, meaning that with 10 medals she is the most prolific woman’s athlete in the history of The World Games. The Olympic often likes to project its appeal to young people. The inclusive nature of The World Games is demonstrated in how athletes like Rousseau can prosper, even at a more advanced age.