Taipei, April 28 (CNA) Lin Yu-mao (林友茂), a 104-year-old badminton player from Taiwan, will compete in the upcoming World Masters Games in Taipei and New Taipei, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism announced Monday.
The department made the announcement at a press event to promote the 10th edition of the quadrennial event, which will take place from May 17-31 in the neighboring Taiwan cities.
The last edition of the international games was held in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2017.
More than 2,000 athletes aged 65 and above will compete in the 2025 games, with 15 participants aged 90 and above, including eight from Taiwan.
Four of those eight attended Monday’s press conference. The oldest was the 104-year-old Lin, whom the department highlighted as the Guinness World Records-certified oldest shuttler.
Lin attended the press event in red, a color which he said makes people look energetic.
He revealed at the presser that the secret to longevity was to exercise, sing and do good deeds.
He initially practiced Tai Chi to stay young, he said, but after realizing that he could get applause when playing badminton well, he switched to become a shuttler at the age of 50.
Aside from Lin, woodball player Su Chen-tsun (蘇振村) and swimmers Chen Yen-ti (陳彥地) and Lin Ju-tsung (林汝聰) were also at the Monday event.
The 93-year-old Su said that with over 20 years of experience in the sport, he is confident that he will keep the woodball gold medal at home in Taiwan.
Chen, meanwhile, said he has not only kept up swimming 1,600 meters twice a week, he also rides a bicycle and practices qigong to stay healthy.
With all of his athleticism, the 95-year-old Chen said he expected he will break his own national record in the 50 meters backstroke for people aged 90-94.
The 90-year-old Lin Ju-tsung’s advice to young athletes, on the other hand, was the importance of a dive during a swim meet.
While Lin Yu-mao is Taiwan’s oldest athlete, the Taipei department announced that the oldest participant at this year’s quadrennial athletic event is a Thai centenarian track and field athlete who is 105.
Taipei Deputy Mayor Lin Yi-hua (林奕華) said at the event that this edition of the World Masters Games attracted over 25,000 applications.
The presence of over 2,000 ageless athletes who are 65 and above will be in line to deliver the 2025 game’s motto, “Sports beyond Age & Life without Limits,” she said.
