70-year-old athlete overcomes illness, age to win gold at Nat'l Masters Games

Time of India

a day ago

Guwahati: When 70-year-old Khirada Saikia Kalita steps into the realm of sports, she is not just competing against other athletes but also against her age, her illness, and every expectation stacked against her.
The septuagenarian, who hails from Chungi village located in the Titabor subdivision of Assam's Jorhat district, recently returned from Himachal Pradesh after competing at the seventh National Masters Games held in Dharamshala, where she won four gold medals in four different disciplines — javelin throw, shot put, discus throw, and relay race. While speaking to TOI, she said this was not her first podium finish, and if things go her way, she hopes it will not be her last either.
Her sights are now set on the upcoming
Asian Games
.
However, what makes her wins exceptional is not just her age; it is the fact that she has been battling a string of health issues for a long time. Chronic conditions, fatigue, and the kind of wear and tear followed her. Khirada claims that she has become a familiar face in the medical fraternity.
"In 2015, I was diagnosed with a gastric ulcer, a painful condition that affected my digestive system and caused significant discomfort.
In 2024, my health took another serious turn. Both my kidneys became swollen, a condition that led to frequent and alarming symptoms. I began passing blood in both my urine and stool, which was not only physically distressing but also a clear sign that something was seriously wrong inside my body.
These episodes marked a difficult and uncertain period in my health journey, leading to multiple hospital visits, tests, and urgent medical attention," Khirada said.
She also said that amid her hectic schedule, she juggles between national games and frequent hospital visits. She recalled that while there were times when her family objected to her playing such high-intensity sports out of concern, the doctors observed her strong commitment to sports and believed that her determination would support her recovery. "I have always travelled alone, even for medical treatments. It often surprises the hospital staff to see an elderly woman walk in by herself for check-ups and procedures.
But that's just how I've lived—independent and committed. There have even been times when I chose to delay my treatment just so I could represent my state in sports. For me, the game has always come first, even when my body was telling me otherwise," she added.
That early exposure to hard physical work and a simple, technology-free life shaped Khirada's athletic instincts. She believes it built the foundation for her stamina and discipline—qualities that helped her rise as an athlete in state and national-level competitions.
"Ever since I was a kid, I was drawn to high-intensity sports. Back in our days, there was no internet, no phones, no screens to distract us. Life was grounded in the outdoors.
In school as well, I used to be involved in every kind of sport, along with theatre and song. Apart from that, we grew up working in the fields, helping with farming—that became our natural fitness training. It made us strong, both mentally and physically," she added.