Lifting 165 kilos as a sexagenarian? Age is nothing but a number for these women

Defying the prejudices that come with age, these women in India have given traditional theories a spin and taken up sports at a later stage in their lives

An age when most people consider retirement as the norm, there are some women who are only just starting out. Fervently pursuing their passion for sports, they have given traditional theories a spin, defying the societal prejudices that come as one ages, for women in particular. “I feel stronger in my 60s than I did in my 30s,” says Lorraine More. More won the gold medal for India, in the Asian Classic and Equipped Powerlifting and Bench Press Championships in Istanbul, Turkey in 2021, by lifting 165 kgs. She was then 66 years old. Today, at 68, she continues her fitness journey by working out for 1.5-2 hours a day, either by going to the gym for strength training, doing yoga, walking, trekking in the forest or playing with her dogs. She is now gunning for the Commonwealth Games in 2024.

Small steps, big victories

As a child, More was not inclined towards sports. “While I was physically active, climbed trees and played outdoors, I never picked up any sport in my childhood,” she says. Today, when she speaks at school events, she makes sure to insist that sports be included in every child’s growth journey. “I remember how even for small chores, I needed help—whether it was for moving a big potted plant or shifting a gas cylinder. Even tying my hair into a bun would be painful for my arms,” More explains. 

But that wasn’t what really prompted her to get into sports. More’s son’s diabetic diagnosis in his 30s and the hiring of a personal trainer for him, nudged her into strength training. At that time, even lifting 2.5 kgs weights was not easy. Today, she can lift six times the weight of what she started out with. 

More also had the benefit of being spotted by her trainer. “Omkar Chincholkar, founder of Omfit, the team that works with me on my fitness, saw potential in me. Chincholkar and my son encouraged me to participate in competitions. I did, just to humour them. But winning the gold in my first competition pushed me ahead on this journey,” More says, adding that being in this space allows her to convey a message about fitness and staying physically strong. More also runs an equestrian centre along with her son in Talegaon, Maharashtra. 

Just like More, Mala Honnatti (70), discovered her life’s calling much later. Born in a traditional family where academics were given utmost importance, Honnatti was a meritorious student while growing up. She went on to become a banker and worked in the industry for around three decades. “My first experience with sports was in my 30s. I was posted in Belagavi [in Karnataka] and started pursuing badminton and karate to pass time. Later, I got posted to Goa, and had to give up my karate training although I was just short of securing a black belt,” she explains. Goa’s favourable landscape gave Honnatti an opportunity to start running. As of today, she has run 26 full marathons and two ultra marathons across the world. She was the first Indian woman to complete the Antarctica Marathon and the Everest Base Camp Marathon in 2011. 

Besides running, Honnatti is an avid trekker and mountaineer. She has trekked and climbed in the Himalayas for over three decades and was even about to scale Mount Everest at 62 years, but an earthquake derailed the plan. Today, at 70, she runs Mahoadventures, through which she organises trekking and mountaineering expeditions. While one might wonder how she manages to organise these tours single-handedly, she says nonchalantly, “I use the help of local guides,” even while she readies herself for online classes in video-making, Canva and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Honnatti stays fit through yoga, running and weight training.

Building a community

More and Honnatti have carved their own niches without much help from organised sports communities for women. Fortunately, today, there are groups and organisations working towards filling this gap. Tanvie Hans, a professional footballer and co-founder of Sisters in Sweat (SIS), a fitness and wellness community, says, “Men tend to continue their active lifestyles with their friends well after school and college, but women somehow don’t.” SIS offers sessions like football, basketball, badminton, swimming and running at a recreational level for women, on a weekly basis. It also conducts off-site trips with a fitness- or sport-related element like deep-sea diving or trekking. SIS came into existence rather serendipitously when Hans and Swetha Subbiah (a Nike-certified fitness coach) were asked to host a football session for a group of women in 2017. Today, the community has over 5,500 ‘sisters’ across Bengaluru and Mumbai. The impact of such communities is far-reaching as Hans says, “Many of our members are mothers, and watching their mothers play has instilled an interest in sports among their kids. One of our members wore a jersey, with her name on the back, for the first time in her 30s.”

Khyati Goenka, an avid runner, now based in London, also started her fitness journey as an adult. “I was never the sporty one in school. Running started as a pastime when I was in between jobs. Serious running happened after my first child was born and the additional weight gain,” says Goenka. Today, she runs and strength trains a couple of times a week. Now 43, she plans to hike Mount Kilimanjaro in 2024.

So, has the tide turned when it comes to women pursuing sports? “While we have observed an increase in women's participation in sports activities, it remains insufficient,” says Vaidehi Vaidya, founder of Women in Sport India (WISI). Vaidya started WISI in 2020 to ensure equitable opportunities and representation for women in sports. Within this community, members gain access to sports and fitness activities, masterclasses, connections with experts, and opportunities for recruitment. “Women often express a desire to gather for games like football or basketball, but their plans often fizzle out due to the challenge of finding like-minded women to join them. Our mission is to provide encouragement and support, creating a ripple effect of positive change,” Vaidya says, adding that they have enabled over 5,000 one-on-one connections through their in-person meet-ups.

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