105-year-old Rambai defied all odds to create a new record in the 100-metre race. She ran the distance in 45.40 seconds at the inaugural National Open Masters Athletics Championships held in Vadodara, Gujarat. Rambai received standing ovation from everyone in the stadium because she was the lone competitor in the race for people aged 100 and up. Her spirit was unaffected by this though. No contestant was over the age of 85.
Rambai didn’t belong tp any great city nor was she highly educated She was born and brought up in Kadma village in Charkhi Dadri, Haryana. Whats amazing about her is that despite coming from such humble background, this centenarian won two Gold Medals at the event on 19 June. She won the 200-metre race, too, with a timing of one minute and 52.17 seconds.
“No one can stop me now. I am very happy. It is a wonderful feeling.” said an elated Rambai after winning Gold medal in the race. This tenacious woman only recently started running.
Due to a dearth of competitors in the above-100 category, the inspirational Rambai, who had entered the race, had to complete it all alone. There was no one to compete with her in this category.
She beat 101-year-old Maan Kaur, who rose to popularity by winning gold in the 100 metres in 74 seconds at the World Masters meet, while winning the tournament. A Haryana lady has now lowered the 100m record with a time of 45.40 seconds.
“My grandmother won four gold medals in a competition before this run. She then took part in a competition in Maharashtra, where she took home 5 gold medals. She was honoured with two prizes in Badlapur, Maharashtra.” said Rambai’s granddaughter
Talking about her diet, Rambai’s granddaughter Sharmila says that the centurion is quite careful about what she eats. She said that Rambai consumes a lot of ghee and curd. She also takes pure milk twice daily. She rarely eats rice.
In 2021, she began his athletic career. Before that, we were not even aware that there was a race category for older persons, she continued. Rambai said, “It’s a terrific sensation, and I want to run again.”
Rambai comes from a family with many members who have won gold in various sports. Santra Devi, her 62-year-old daughter, won the gold in the relay race, while Mukhtar Singh and Vadhu Bhateri, her sons, finished third and fourth, respectively, in the 200-meter competition.
Rambai had earlier finished at 1 minute and 52.17 seconds in the 200-metre category, winning gold.
She told that she first started competing when she was 104 years old.
“I was ready to run (at a younger age) but no one gave me a chance,” she said
Rambai responded that she usually consumes “churma, dahi, and doodh” when asked what her secret to success was.
At 105 years, super grandma sprints new 100m record. #Rambai ran alone in #Vadodara as there was no competitor above 85 competing at the National Open Masters Athletics Championship pic.twitter.com/iCIPTOkuFt
— TOI Bengaluru (@TOIBengaluru) June 21, 2022
Rambai’s granddaughter Sharmila Sangwan, who also took home medals at the competition, stated that Rambai was a strict vegetarian who insisted on eating 500 grammes of curd and 250 grammes of ghee every day.
Rambai’s accomplishments serve as a timely reminder to everyone that age is just a number and that the only constraints a person faces are those they impose on themselves.
(Geetha Chandrasekaran is the founder of Powerfulteachers.com, an organisation that empowers senior citizens)
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