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Johanna QUAAS (98) at the 100th Jahnturnfest |
Johanna QUAAS, the world's oldest senior gymnast, experienced the 100th Jahnturnfest 2024 (‘My favourite competition...!’) not as an active competitor this time, but as the official representative of this special anniversary in Germany:
"Oh it was lovely," said the ex-senior gymnast from Halle / Saale, "... to meet so many friends and acquaintances again that I had been with for many years. I would have loved to climb the parallel bars again myself, but unfortunately I haven't done any official competitions for a while now. No, really, there has to be an end to it, but my lifelong sport, my competitions, especially apparatus gymnastics, have given me such a marvellous life, and I've been able to perform to my current age!"
"But when a photographer on the gymnastics field in Freyburg asked me to reach into the magnesia pot again, clap my hands to make a cloud of dust, I would have loved to crawl back onto the parallel bar...!
But the saying is well known: Everything has its time, and when it's at its best, you should stop, even if not with age-appropriate daily exercise!
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I particularly liked the fact that Germany's Olympic champion on uneven bars, Maxi Gnauck and the Olympian Birgit Radochla, who won silver in Tokyo in 1964 when some of the girls from my training group were there, visited us this time
Also the German European Champion Elisabeth Seitz came to Freyburg! The show gymnastics, together with world Champion Lukas Dauser and Nils Dunkel and with Lea Quaas, was very well received by us recreational gymnasts.
Incidentally: My little namesake Lea Quaas from Chemnitz, who I'm keeping my fingers crossed for, is not related to me, but I wish her great success in the future and perhaps that she enjoys gymnastics as long as I do!
'Hannchen’, proudly presented, assisted by Olympic uneven bars champion (Moscow 1980) Maxi Gnauck a poster with her support balance - part of her sensational bars routine, with which she won here so often and with which she became world-famous on > Y O U T U B E !
... and how is she doing otherwise? "I continue to keep fit with my bed exercises in the morning and my daily fitness exercises on my balcony. Of course, I want to attend the 101st Jahnturnfest in Freyburg again next year, ... even if I turn 100 two months later.
But you should always have goals!"
Sincerely - Your Johanna
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