DEHRADUN: Rambai, the 106year-old sprinter who took up athletics two years ago when she was 104 years and set a world record for 100m sprint in the above-85 category last year, on Monday added more feathers to her cap, winning three gold medals—one each in 100m sprint, 200m sprint and shot put—at the 18th National Open Athletics Championships in Dehradun.
In each of the three competitions, for the above-85 category, Rambai beat three to five other participants. She proudly walked off the podium, saying “I’m happy” in Haryanvi, telling off her granddaughter for offering her a leg massage, asking her to “give it to someone who needs it”.
Rambai was born in Kadma, a small village in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri, and spent the better part of her life doing household chores and working in the family farm field. Her tryst with athletics started in 2016, when Punjab’s Man Kaur, at 100, made headlines by becoming the world’s fastest centenarian to win gold at American Masters Game in Vancouver, clocking 1 minute and 21 seconds in 100msprint. The following year, Kaur bettered her own world record, shaving seven seconds off at the World Masters Game in Auckland.
It was Rambai’s 41-yearold granddaughter, Sharmila Sagwan, who told her Kaur’s story and said if an over 100-year-old woman could do it, why not her.
“When Sharmila first asked me to start participating in sporting events in the veterans’ category, I hesitated. But now I am happy to be in the field, as I have hardly ever stepped out of my village before this. I hope my participation in sports at this age sends themessage to youths that if I can do it, nothing can stop them from taking up sports and staying fit,” Rambai said.
With just a little bit of practice, probably fuelled by years of hard work on the field and a diet mostly consisting of milk, homemade dairy items and farm fresh vegetables, Rambai broke Kaur’s record, completing the 100m sprint in just 45. 50 seconds, at the Open Masters Athletics Championshipsin Vadodara in June last year. In the last two years, Rambai has won over 200 medals in about 14 sporting events she participated in India and abroad.
Sagwan, a heavy vehicle driver, said, “At first, other family members hesitated when we floated the idea of grandma taking up sports. They said if anything were to happen to her, villagers would blame us for not taking good care of our elderly. But I convinced them by showing Mann Kaur’s story.”
Sagwan not only inspired her grandmother, but also her mother, 65-year-old Santra Devi, to participate in such games. Now, the women from three generations participate in the same events, in different age categories.
In each of the three competitions, for the above-85 category, Rambai beat three to five other participants. She proudly walked off the podium, saying “I’m happy” in Haryanvi, telling off her granddaughter for offering her a leg massage, asking her to “give it to someone who needs it”.
Rambai was born in Kadma, a small village in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri, and spent the better part of her life doing household chores and working in the family farm field. Her tryst with athletics started in 2016, when Punjab’s Man Kaur, at 100, made headlines by becoming the world’s fastest centenarian to win gold at American Masters Game in Vancouver, clocking 1 minute and 21 seconds in 100msprint. The following year, Kaur bettered her own world record, shaving seven seconds off at the World Masters Game in Auckland.
It was Rambai’s 41-yearold granddaughter, Sharmila Sagwan, who told her Kaur’s story and said if an over 100-year-old woman could do it, why not her.
“When Sharmila first asked me to start participating in sporting events in the veterans’ category, I hesitated. But now I am happy to be in the field, as I have hardly ever stepped out of my village before this. I hope my participation in sports at this age sends themessage to youths that if I can do it, nothing can stop them from taking up sports and staying fit,” Rambai said.
With just a little bit of practice, probably fuelled by years of hard work on the field and a diet mostly consisting of milk, homemade dairy items and farm fresh vegetables, Rambai broke Kaur’s record, completing the 100m sprint in just 45. 50 seconds, at the Open Masters Athletics Championshipsin Vadodara in June last year. In the last two years, Rambai has won over 200 medals in about 14 sporting events she participated in India and abroad.
Sagwan, a heavy vehicle driver, said, “At first, other family members hesitated when we floated the idea of grandma taking up sports. They said if anything were to happen to her, villagers would blame us for not taking good care of our elderly. But I convinced them by showing Mann Kaur’s story.”
Sagwan not only inspired her grandmother, but also her mother, 65-year-old Santra Devi, to participate in such games. Now, the women from three generations participate in the same events, in different age categories.
