PETALING JAYA: ‘Age is just a number’ is more than a saying to veteran race walking trio – G. Suresh Kumar, S. Elangovan and D. Sukhraj Singh – as they walked the talk by winning a silver medal in the men’s aged 50-54 10km team event at the World Masters Championships in South Korea on Saturday (Aug 22).
Despite the hot and humid conditions in Daegu, the trio persevered and secured a podium finish.
What makes the feat more impressive is the fact that only Suresh, 54, is within the stipulated age range.
His compatriots Sukhraj and Elangovan are 57-years-old and 71-years-old respectively.
"The number of Masters races get more limited the older we get," said Sukhraj.
"This means we need to continue competing in lower age categories.”
This strategy presents its own set of challenges for the seasoned athletes, whose friendship dates back to their initial encounter at the 2010 World Masters.
"With age, maintaining speed over shorter distances is harder. Adding to that, the competition around us is younger."
"However, we enjoy pushing our limits to stay competitive."
Sukhraj has been racing since the age of 13 and maintains that he prioritises fitness over silverware especially as he continues to get older.
"The awards are a bonus. The real motivation is to keep pushing myself and seeing how far I can go,” added Sukhraj, who also holds the vice president position of the Penang Malaysian Masters Athletics Association.
The trio will continue to self-fund their passion, with the hope that their accomplishments will inspire seniors to become more active.
