AUCKLAND: With a jaunty victory dance, 101-year-old Man Kaur celebrated winning the 100 meters sprint at the World Masters Games in Auckland on Monday, the 17th gold medal in the Indian athlete’s remarkable late-blooming career.
Kaur clocked one minute 14 seconds as a small crowd cheered her on — ending a mere 64.42 seconds off Usain Bolt’s 100m world record set in 2009.
In truth her dash became more of a gentle amble the closer the diminutive centenarian came to the finish line, with more energy spent beaming at spectators than running.
But Kaur was guaranteed victory as the only participant in the 100-years-and-over category at the New Zealand event, which has attracted 25,000 competitors.
Participation, not racing the clock, is the priority for Kaur, who has been dubbed the “miracle from Chandigarh” in New Zealand media.
“I enjoyed it and am very, very happy,” she told reporters via a Punjabi interpreter.
“I’m going to run again, I’m not going to give up. I will participate, there’s no full stop.”
Kaur only took up athletics eight years ago, at the tender age of 93.
She had no prior sporting experience before her son Gurdev Singh suggested she join him in competing on the international masters games circuit.
After a medical check-up she was given the all clear and since then mother and son have taken part in dozens of masters athletics meets around the globe.
Kaur already has a swag of gold medals that would rival Michael Phelps’ haul and also plans to compete in the 200m sprint, two kilogram shot put and 400 gram javelin in Auckland, taking her tally to 20.
Her son told the Indian Weekender newspaper that Kaur was on a strict diet that included wheat grass juice and a daily glass of kefir (fermented milk).
World Masters Games 2017 Chief Executive Jennah Wootten said the Auckland organizers were delighted to host such an inspiration.
“Man Kaur truly personifies the ‘sport for all’ philosophy which World Masters Games is all about and we are thrilled to have her here,” she said.
“I have no doubt that she and many of the other 24,905 athletes competing in these games are inspiring others to lead more active lifestyles and take up a sport.”
While Kaur was the only 100-plus athlete to compete in Auckland, there are a surprising number of spritely centenarians still on the sporting stage.
Japan’s Hidekichi Miyazaki, 106, holds the 100m record in the category with a time of 29.83, earning him the nickname “Golden Bolt” after the Jamaican Flyer.
Miyazaki, who credits his daughter’s tangerine jam for his age-defying exploits, even mimics Bolt’s signature victory pose and is keen to race against the Olympic superstar.
Frenchman Robert Marchand, 105, set a cycling record for his age in January, riding 22.547 kilometers (14.01 miles) in one hour.
Afterwards, the former fireman said he was not even tired and said he could have gone faster.
No hurry as India’s inspirational centenarian wins gold
No hurry as India’s inspirational centenarian wins gold
Misk Global Forum 2024 set to start in Riyadh
- Event seeks to bring together young leaders from Kingdom, around the globe
RIYADH: The eighth edition of the Misk Global Forum is set to take place at Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City, otherwise known as Misk City, on Nov. 18-19.
Boasting the theme “By Youth for Youth,” this year’s forum seeks to bring together young leaders from the Kingdom and around the globe, creating a platform for dialogue and collaboration.
The prominent international event will feature more than 150 speakers in over 100 panel discussions, along with 30 interactive workshops.
The event will showcase a roster of high-level figures in its panel discussions, including Badr Al-Badr, the CEO of the Misk Foundation, who is committed to empowering youth through education and innovation.
Abdullah Alswaha, the minister of communications and information technology, will bring his expertise in digital transformation and policymaking to the conversation, emphasizing the role of technology in shaping the future.
In addition, Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple Computer, will share his insights on entrepreneurship and innovation, drawing from his extensive experience in the tech industry.
The leaders will engage in thought-provoking discussions that aim to inspire and equip young minds for the challenges of tomorrow.
Discussions are expected to cover topics such as sustainability, education, innovation, technology, health, culture, and climate change.
The topics will encourage those participating in the event to think creatively and work together on solutions to challenges faced by today’s youngsters.
MGF 2024 invites young people worldwide to come together, share ideas, and explore future possibilities.
The Misk Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 2011 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Through its various initiatives — including Misk City, Misk Art Institute, Manga Productions, Science Center, and Misk Schools — the foundation aims to foster an environment conducive to creativity and innovation.
World Defense Show 2026 to showcase record number of Chinese companies in Riyadh
RIYADH: The third edition of the World Defense Show, scheduled to take place in Riyadh from Feb. 8-12, 2026, has secured a record number of participants, with more than 100 companies from China confirmed to take part.
Notably, the China Pavilion has already filled 88 percent of its exhibition space, making it the second-largest national presence at the event, surpassing even the host nation, Saudi Arabia.
This strong participation underscores the growing global appeal of the show. Since its debut, WDS has seen impressive growth, with exhibition space expanding by 54 percent between 2022 and 2026, more than doubling its size. As of now, over 50 percent of the total floor space for WDS 2026 has already been sold.
The announcement follows the successful conclusion of the second edition of WDS, which hosted 773 exhibitors from 76 countries, facilitated SR 26 billion ($6.9 billion) in deals, and attracted 106,000 trade visits.
“The significant interest and commitment from Chinese exhibitors is a testament to the prominence WDS holds in the global defense space,” said Andrew Pearcey, CEO of World Defense Show.
“Our goal is to bring together global and local stakeholders to advance networking opportunities, strengthen global knowledge-sharing, and shape the future of defense technology,” he said.
The high level of interest from Chinese firms was also evident at the 15th Airshow China in Zhuhai, held from Nov. 12-17. Senior WDS representatives attended the event to engage with potential exhibitors, offering them the opportunity to secure their space at WDS 2026, which is rapidly filling up.
Lebanon army says Israeli attack kills 2 soldiers
- “The Israeli enemy directly targeted an army center” in Mari in the Hasbaya area
BEIRUT: The Lebanese army said an Israeli attack on Sunday killed two soldiers, accusing Israel of directly targeting their position in south Lebanon where the Israeli military is fighting Hezbollah.
“The Israeli enemy directly targeted an army center” in Mari in the Hasbaya area, causing “the death of one of the soldiers and the wounding of three others, one of whom is in critical condition,” the army said in a statement.
A separate statement shortly afterwards said “a second soldier” had died of his wounds.
Israeli fire has killed more than a dozen Lebanese soldiers since all-out war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group erupted in September, according to an AFP tally of official announcements.
Smog drops from hazardous to unhealthy in Pakistan’s Lahore
- The city’s AQI index reached a daily average of 243, still considered ‘very unhealthy’
- Current pollution level is 10 times higher than what is deemed acceptable by WHO
ISLAMABAD: The air quality in Pakistan’s smog-choked city of Lahore on Sunday fell below the threshold considered “hazardous” for humans for the first time in two weeks.
The AQI index reached a daily average of 243, still “very unhealthy” but below the highest level of 300 considered “hazardous.”
The level of PM2.5 particles was also more than 10 times higher than the level deemed acceptable by the World Health Organization.
The city of 14 million people close to the border with India peaked at a record AQI of 1,110 on November 14.
Punjab, home to more than half of Pakistan’s 240 million people, closed schools in its major cities on November 6, and on Friday extended the closure to November 24.
It has also banned all outdoor sports in schools until January, and cracked down on polluting tuk-tuks, barbecues and construction sites in pollution hot spots across Lahore.
Seasonal crop burn-off by farmers on the outskirts of the city also contributes to toxic air the WHO says can cause strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory diseases.
Casa Riyadh win Silver Cup polo championship
- Polo teams show ‘good technical performance and strong competition’ in first championship of the season
RIYADH: Casa Riyadh won the Silver Cup polo tournament after beating the Tuwaiq Team 5-4 in the final match at the Nova Equestrian Resort field, west of the capital Riyadh.
On Saturday, Casa Riyadh’s captain, Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Salman, accepted the championship trophy from Amr Zidane, the president of the Saudi Polo Federation. Ibrahim Al-Harbi, Salman bin Haif and Mohammed Nafeed won golden medals alongside Prince Salman.
Zidane said that the third edition of the Silver Cup was the first championship of the polo season in Saudi Arabia and that teams delivered a “good technical performance and strong competition” in the latest tournament.
The Tamam team of Hashem Al-Alawi, Abdulmohsen Al-Hokair, Faisal Abunyan, and the Argentine Marcelo Antonio came second, while Tuwaiq players Khaled bin Muammar, Mudhar Al-Zoubi, Asif Shah and Britain’s George Amor secured third place.
The Silver Cup is played using a points system. In the event of a tie, the team with the most goals wins.
Zidane said that there are six local competitions in the current polo season that “will enhance the technical performance and readiness” for the Saudi national polo team’s international competition.
