Janie Fulling

Silver-haired and going for gold 

Written for USA TODAY Humankind.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — “Let’s see if there’s magic in here,” 93-year-old Ann McGowan says as she dips her hands into the shot put chalk stand.

McGowan is gearing up for her round at the 2017 National Senior Games, a 14-day event that promotes healthy lifestyles for adults through education, fitness and sport. Nineteen sports are represented across the games for men and women 50 and older.

McGowan has participated in track and field events since the games began in 1987. The Rhode Island athlete turned to exercise as a coping mechanism after her husband died at age 50.

“On weekends, I would go up to the college, and I would spend half or maybe all day just going around the track. It helped me to cope,” she said.

McGowan joins seven other athletes who have participated in all 30 years of the games, collectively called the Great Eight. Most of these seasoned originals are in their 90s and compete in everything from track to bowling to swimming.

McGowan usually competes in running and long jump, although she competed in shot put and discus this year after back surgery prevented her from running track. “Since I’ve had this back problem, I wanted to participate and do something.” McGowan won the silver for long jump but went home with bronze medals in shot put and discus after throwing with her dominant arm. “I had my breast removed on the left. So this is a weak arm, but I was a lefty and feel that I have more strength.”

McGowan says she’s going to practice with her right arm for next year’s Games.

Although the competition can be stiff, the camaraderie flows freely. Ninety-year-old women carefully walk their decorated canes across the track to catch up with old friends before their events begin. Men stand in circles, comparing surgeries while they wait for their medal ceremonies to start. A woman exclaims, “You’re 70?” to another upon finding out her age, followed by a jaw drop. And between meets, 65-year-olds impress their friends with back flips.

Sporting events aren’t the only impressive feats these athletes take on. McGowan is a cosmetologist and lives alone, keeping and maintaining her own home. She says her grandchildren now participate in track and field events due to her influence.

So what’s McGowan’s secret to maintaining an active lifestyle well into old age?

“There’s no secret to it. It’s just doing what you feel like doing. And after it’s done, people are amazed. They’ll say, ‘Well how did you do that?’ I just did it. That’s the answer.”