World records and the elderly don’t usually ring a bell, unless you’re talking giant casseroles. All the same, some aren’t letting the “old and wretched” stereotype fly, especially not George Corones. The Australian swimmer recently broke the 50-meter long course record by 35 seconds — and he’s 99-years-old!
“It was an exemplary swim for me, well balanced… and I was ready to hit the [wall] at the end very hard with my hand,” he [said].
The superstar senior swam the length in just 56.12 seconds, for the 100 – 104 years men’s category. I didn’t even know people lived that long. Corones’ swimming career was put on hold during World War II and re-commenced at the age of 80.
“I gave it up at the beginning of the war [World War Two], and I don’t think I had a swim of any description until I retired,” he added.
“I started swimming again for exercise.”
Looks like exercise brought this aging man of steel a long, long way! (To the Commonwealth Games trials, to be exact)