Latest news with #WorldMasters
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Sport
- New Indian Express
Driven by passion & sharpened by technology, 75-year-old Kurian is making waves
KOCHI: Better late than never! Technology has not been kind to the elderly, but then there are those among this demographic who have overcome feelings of dread and insufficiency to make it work for them. Take the case of 75-year-old Kurian Jacob, a late bloomer who views the achievements in his 'sunset years' as worth the wait. An ace swimmer, he bagged nine medals including two individual gold—at the World Masters Games held in Taipei, Taiwan last month. Born in Thidanadu, Kanjirapally, Kurian never cared to take up swimming—something that he was first exposed to as an infant in the river next to his house—as a sport until later in life. 'The activity remained an integral part of my life. But I never thought of turning professional, until my retirement,' he says. At the World Masters, which also featured former Olympians and world champions, Kurian won gold in the 200m freestyle pool and 3km open water events. He also medalled in two men's relays and mixed relays, besides the 100m and 400m freestyle and 200m breaststroke. The swimming competition featured around 2,500 athletes. 'For nine months, I regularly practised the 3km swim in pools, rivers and in the open sea to condition myself to withstand heavy currents and build strength. I believe that the dedication has paid off,' Kurian points out. Kurian worked abroad with Standard Chartered Bank for many years before settling in Kochi in 2017. In 2019, he heard about the state masters championship from friends who were preparing to compete in the event. 'I was 69 when I first participated in a professional competition. Victories there took me to the nationals, where I was unable to find my true form. In fact, this setback ,the motivation for me achieve more,' he said.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Bobby George lifts lid on Eric Bristow's wild lifestyle before he died aged 60
Eric Bristow, who died aged 60 of a heart attack, used to drink 16 pints of Guinness in a night while smoking non-stop before finishing the night by eating a curry Darts legend Eric Bristow passed away aged 60 after suffering a heart attack. And while he was shocked and saddened by his friend's sudden death, Bobby George had known he was on a self-destructive path. Bristow, known as the Crafty Cockney, won five World Masters during a storied darts career. He was the archetypal player of the 1980s scene, drinking, smoking, romancing and partying as hard as he played the sport. After a whirlwind life, which contained almost as many pints of Guinness as treble 20s, Bristow died on April 5, 2018 from a heart attack before a Premier League event in Liverpool. His death shocked George, who had been with his friend hours earlier and stayed the night in a pub ran by Bristow's driver in Stoke. Writing in 'Still Here! The King of Bling', as reported by The Sun, George said: 'Eric Bristow's death hit me hard. He was only 60 for f***'s sake. That's no age these days, is it? I had known him since he was a teenager – and he never changed. 'He could be a pain in the a*** and we had some right ding-dongs over the years. But for most of the time, he was my mate and we had some great times together.' The two were fierce rivals at the oche and, although they had their fair share of bust-ups, they remained close. George was witness to many ropey nights in bars, with one incident in America, when Bristow pretended to wipe his bottom on the stars and stripes, causing some particularly anxious moments. 'Anyone who knew him was aware that he didn't exactly lead a healthy lifestyle,' George writes in his new book. 'For as long as I'd known him, he was a heavy smoker, always rolling his own. 'And he would think nothing of getting through 15 or 16 pints of Guinness in a day, rounding it all off with a curry. Nobody's body can handle that day in, day out. Always on the go, working and travelling, meant he was always pushing it. "Although it wasn't work to him, just a chance to get on the p*** every day. I like a drink and a smoke but there are extremes and Eric pushed them to the limit. 'I'd say, 'You smoke and you drink too much'. He said, 'I know all about that, Bob. But put it this way, no one is going to be pushing me around in a wheelchair. When I go, I'll go like that. Bang'. And he f***ing did as well, bang.' Writing in his autobiography 'Eric Bristow: The Crafty Cockney', the man himself said: "If I had my life again I wouldn't change a thing, apart from one or two women I went out with."
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Mysuru doctor wins 2 medals at world masters games in Taipei
Mysuru: Dr Anya Saini, 62, a paediatrician from the city won two medals at the ongoing World Masters Games 2025 in Taipei, Taiwan. She won a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke and a bronze in the 100m breaststroke at this quadrennial competition. Dr Saini said it was an honour to participate in this championship. "It feels great to compete at the World Masters and connect with athletes from across the globe,"she told TOI. Her recent achievements in Taipei follow her accomplishment at the 20th Masters' National Swimming Championship in Bhopal in 2024, where she won four gold medals in the 50m and 100m breaststroke, and 200m and 400m freestyle events. Dr Saini began swimming when she was eight years old, and her involvement in the sport has continued for over five decades. During her MBBS at Mysuru Medical College and Research Institute in 1984, she secured bronze medal at the All India Inter-University Championship. Since the beginning of masters' swimming competitions in 2002, she has earned over 100 medals. "Returning to the pool is nostalgic," she expressed. Combining her medical practice with swimming, Dr Saini stays committed to her six days a week training schedule.
The Age
01-05-2025
- Sport
- The Age
At age 99, this Holocaust survivor just had his latest sporting win
With the flash of a grin, George Oshlack stares down his final putt, in his element on the green at a club he's been part of for more than six decades. He swings, he sinks it, and he's won the tournament – the first victory in a while for the 99-year-old, and a much-needed one at that. Oshlack is a legend in Melbourne's Jewish sporting community, smashing his way to becoming a three-time World Masters champion in squash, and scoring a hole in one three times in his 65 years as a member at Cranbourne Golf Club in Melbourne's south-east. On Wednesday, the Holocaust survivor shot four under his 34 handicap to win the men's 18-hole competition, which attracted about 200 players. It was Oshlack's first win since before his wife, Rosa, died about eight months ago. 'I used to win a lot, but not since my wife got sick – I couldn't concentrate,' Oshlack said on Thursday. 'I tried my best. I just concentrated, properly, every shot. I didn't rush, and I made sure I'm hitting it properly. That's all.' Oshlack drives the 45 minutes from his home in Toorak to the golf club up to five times a week, competing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and throwing in a couple of practice runs. He bought a new car last year, and got a 10-year warranty for good measure. Until a recent injury, he was also playing squash at least four days a week.
Sydney Morning Herald
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
At age 99, this Holocaust survivor just had his latest sporting win
With the flash of a grin, George Oshlack stares down his final putt, in his element on the green at a club he's been part of for more than six decades. He swings, he sinks it, and he's won the tournament – the first victory in a while for the 99-year-old, and a much-needed one at that. Oshlack is a legend in Melbourne's Jewish sporting community, smashing his way to becoming a three-time World Masters champion in squash, and scoring a hole in one three times in his 65 years as a member at Cranbourne Golf Club in Melbourne's south-east. On Wednesday, the Holocaust survivor shot four under his 34 handicap to win the men's 18-hole competition, which attracted about 200 players. It was Oshlack's first win since before his wife, Rosa, died about eight months ago. 'I used to win a lot, but not since my wife got sick – I couldn't concentrate,' Oshlack said on Thursday. 'I tried my best. I just concentrated, properly, every shot. I didn't rush, and I made sure I'm hitting it properly. That's all.' Oshlack drives the 45 minutes from his home in Toorak to the golf club up to five times a week, competing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and throwing in a couple of practice runs. He bought a new car last year, and got a 10-year warranty for good measure. Until a recent injury, he was also playing squash at least four days a week.
