Weightlifting Taiwan granny, 90, garners cheers, health benefits at gym

Cheng Chen Chin-Mei, 90, lifts 45kg as she breaks her personal record, at a weightlifting competition in Taipei, Taiwan December 21, 2024. REUTERS/Ann Wang

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Cheng Chen Chin-Mei beamed broadly as she hoisted a 35-kg (77-pound) weightlifting bar to her waist, dropped it and waved confidently to the enthusiastic crowd in a competition in Taipei.

Cheng Chen, 90, has been pumping iron since last year, encouraged by her granddaughter to take up the sport after she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. She credits the regimen with helping to fix her posture.