Senior women athletes say sports injects them with a sense of purpose and keeps their minds and bodies supple as they compete in the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi.
The region’s largest international multi-sport event has attracted thousands of athletes to participate in events including athletics, table tennis, golf and judo in multiple venues across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain on Sunday.
A group of women from Argentina travel for competitions across the world that give them a unique shot of energy. This was their first time in the UAE for an athletics event.
“Sport is even more important when you get older, I feel younger when I compete and it gives me a much better quality of life,” said Monica Vargas, 73, from San Juan, Argentina, who won a silver in the discus throw in the 70+ age category.
“It keeps me full of energy, fills me with happiness, allows me to have a good rest and I can meet so many new people from different countries who I would not get to meet in Argentina.”
Keeps the mind supple
Ms Vargas will compete in the shot put, javelin, hammer throw, high jump and long jump this week. She is retired after years of working in the health sector in Argentina, and has always been a keen athlete.
She travelled to Abu Dhabi with Maria Gamazo, 68, who will compete in the discus, shot put and hammer throw, and Adriana Quiroga, 54, a participant in the 110m hurdles, high jump and long jump, 200m, 400m and 800m races.
Natalia Sanz, a UAE resident, spoke of the lessons she has learnt from her mother, Monica Vargas. “My mother is so fit, she is such an inspiration. She was jumping and so happy when she heard she had won a medal in discus,” she said.
“Sports is a lifestyle for this group of friends. They train every day. The people you see here competing love what they are doing. The social interactions are good for their mental health. They also want to keep their minds healthy and do this through sporting competitions.”
Ms Quiroga said the solidarity of fitness plays a vital role. “I like competing in sports because of the companionship, solidarity, the respect and experience you gain,” said Ms Quiroga, who works as a therapist for people with visual impairments in Argentina.
“I try to train two hours every day and I’m preparing for the World Masters Athletics in August this year, so I want to be super-fit.”
Discipline of sports
The athletes compete in a range of age categories from 30 years, with no upper age limit. In the discus throw on Sunday, the women participants ranged from over 30 to over 75.
Claire Cameron, 67, from Glasgow, Scotland, won gold in the discus throw in the 65+ age category. A former athlete with the Scottish international athletics team, she has not stopped competing since the 1980s.
“Sports keeps the brain active. There is a saying, ‘If you don’t use it, you lose it,’ and it’s true for fitness,” said Ms Cameron, who will compete in the shot put and weightlifting events.
“Training is a big part of my life and it’s the discipline that is important. Meeting new people and seeing old friends is great. I have been throwing (discus) since I was 12, I was with Scotland’s international team in the 1980s and continued on to compete in the Masters.”
Ms Cameron trains about three hours a day, six days a week. She urges others to stay active. “When you are older, it’s very important to keep active, it could be a slow walk, and that’s fine too. You need to keep the legs and heart going,” she said.
The Open Masters Games has encouraged women of all ages to compete. Emirati citizen Zafranah Al Hosani, 72, is participating in bowling events. Ms Al Hosani is the mother of Hamda Al Hosani, a UAE sprinter who has won dozens of medals for the country in the Special Olympics.
The older Ms Al Hosani said she was keen to take part to motivate women of all ages to participate and improve their overall health, according to a statement to the Wam news agency.
The games run until February 15 and will feature more than 25,000 male and female athletes from 92 countries, competing in more than 30 sports. There will also be 13 events for athletes with disabilities, further showcasing the unifying power of sports.
