Marvin Hill/Humana
ほとんどの人は65歳で棒高跳びを始めようなどとは思わないだろうが、フロー・マイラーさんは違う。CNNが先日行ったインタビューによると、79歳のマイラーさんは、14年前に初めてハードルを飛び越えて以来、陸上競技場で開催されるほとんどすべての競技に出場し、15の世界記録と12の米国国内記録を保持している。
マイラーさんは2011年に、75歳以上の屋内棒高跳びの世界記録を破った。他にも60mハードル、障害走、円盤投げ、400mリレー、200mハードル、ハンマー投げの記録も作っている。
今年7月下旬には、クリーブランドで開催される全米シニア大会に出場する予定だ。
かつてはシニアオリンピックのテニス選手だったマイラーさんが陸上競技をやってみようと思ったのは、これらの競技が選手を「切実に」必要としていたからにすぎないという。CNNのインタビューでは、走り幅跳びをやってみたら、たちまち大好きになったと答えている。
バーモント州シェルバーンに住むマイラーさんには、5人の孫と2人の曾孫がいる。以前にもまして活動的で、パートナーと一緒に週に5～6日のトレーニングに励んでいる。「WCAX」サイトのインタビューでも、「今が一番体調がいい」と答えている[リンク先に練習風景の動画あり]。
マイラーさんのトレーニング・パートナーである77歳のバーバラ・ジョーダンさんは、WCAXの動画で次のように話している。「身体というものは、人が思っているよりもかなり回復力の高いものだと思います。齢をとっても引き続き上達することができるのです」
「年をとりすぎるということはない。それが私のモットーです」とマイラーさんはFOX6に語っている。「遅すぎるということはけっしてないのです」
[Lindsey Davis(English) 日本語版：平井眞弓/ガリレオ]
関連記事
16 People More Honest Than The Political Candidates
Gary Gaddist (01 of16)
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Chicagoans (02 of16)
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Leo Guarente (03 of16)
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Ben Affleck (04 of16)
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Adam Woldemarim(05 of16)
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Honest Toddler (06 of16)
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Don Williams (07 of16)
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Abbie Jacobson (10 of16)
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Women in Finance (11 of16)
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This Potential Dog Walker (12 of16)
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These Kids In New York (13 of16)
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Nick Optis (14 of16)
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