The 96-year-old athlete finished the race in 21 minutes 39.10 seconds, which signifies a new world record in her category. In fact, her result is so great that she even came before three contestants in the 90-94 age group.

Altogether 9,404 athletes – out of them 756 Hungarians – entered the 2017 FINA Masters World Championships in Budapest, which started last Monday and lasts until the 20th of August.

Most athletes – 6,521 – entered the swimming events, but there are also 1,595 water polo players, 1,240 open water swimmers, 520 synchronised swimmers and 322 divers among the participants.

Regarding Hungarian athletes, there are 396 swimmers, 238 water polo players, 135 open water swimmers, 30 synchronised swimmers and 25 divers.

The oldest participant in the whole field is a Hungarian swimmer, Béla Bánki Horváth, who was born on the 20th of December, 1920, meaning that he’ll turn 97 at the end of this year. He is the only athlete in his event in the 95-99 age group.

The oldest female athlete is Maurine Emilie Kornfeld mentioned above, who’ll turn 96 on the 27th of November. The youngest participants were born in 1992 as the first age group starts from age 25. The Masters World Championship features five disciplines: open water swimming in Balatonfüred, and swimming, synchronised swimming, diving and water polo in Budapest.

Source: dailynewshungary.com

Republished with permission

MTI photo