A 91-year-old great-grandfather is proving age is no obstacle to success – after striking gold in the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi.
Radnaa Tseren, from Mongolia, left the competition trailing in his wake to clinch the 200-metre race on Tuesday, winning hearts and admiration along the way.
He crossed the finishing line in 39.64 seconds, more than four seconds ahead of his nearest challenger in a senior competition also featuring seasoned athletes in their 70s and 80s.
The oldest athlete at the games, Tseren also won a silver medal in the 100m and is on his marks to compete in the 400m, 800m, 1,500m and the triple jump this week.
He is undaunted by the hectic schedule in the final days of the global competition and has his sights set on being at the top of his game for years to come.
“No, no, I don’t get tired running. I want to still be champion. I want to keep running and win when I’m 95,” he said. “I’m happy to win, I’m happy that I can still leave younger athletes behind.”
The Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi runs until February 15, has no upper age limit and features more than 25,000 male and female athletes from 92 countries competing in more than 30 sports.
Setting goals
Age has not slowed the nonagenarian’s pursuit of medals. At the World Masters Games in Taipei in May last year he won five gold medals, on top of six from the indoor Masters Athletics Games in the US two months earlier.
“I want to keep getting better, beat my own records. That is my goal to beat myself,” he said. “I want to keep running. I want to run the 100m and 200m even when I’m 95.”
Tseren is a retired PE teacher who taught for decades in a high school in the South Gobi province. He leads a disciplined life. The extreme temperatures in landlocked Mongolia can plummet below -30°C but that does not stop him from working out at home.
Waking up at 5am every day, he stretches in bed and briskly steps on a high stool to get his heart pumping.
“It is very cold in Mongolia, there is a lot of snow at home. But I exercise every day,” he said. “The 1,500m is the most challenging race for me because it is a long race.”
Secrets to success
His message to younger people is to be consistent with their exercise routine.
“Do some exercise, run if you can, walk, stay away from alcohol, don’t smoke and the most important is to always warm up, you should never run without warming up,” Tseren said.
Love of sport
The Mongolian national has 10 children, 36 grandchildren and has passed on his love for fitness to his family.
His 15-year-old grandson participated in a swim meet in the UAE this week while Tseren competed in the Open Masters. Three of his children are PE teachers.
A son and daughter travel with him as he competes around the world.
“We make sure he is OK when he is exercising, that he stretches enough and he eats well,” said his 64-year-old son Badrakh Radnaa, a school swimming coach. “My father eats all kinds of food. He is not fussy but he enjoys eating smoked beef and hot soup.”
Tseren's family said he inspired young people in his home country by continuing to win competitions.
“My father is a role model for Mongolians, they are proud of my father and look up to him,” his son said. “Age does not matter to him, he still sets his own goals.”
Watching Mr Tseren power down the track drew applause from spectators in Abu Dhabi.
“I hear he is over 90. It’s amazing, incredible that he moves so quickly. This is something to remember always,” said Shalin Perera, 52, a Sri Lankan athlete.
