At 88, This Japanese Woman Is World's Oldest Cross-Country Skier

At the age of 88, a Japanese athlete achieved the remarkable feat of breaking her own Guinness World Record by taking part in the cross-country skiing 2023 Masters World Cup held in Austria.

According to Guinness World Records, after competing in the Japan Masters Championships last year, Japan's Katsumi Saeki, who was born on March 3, 1935, became the world's oldest competitive cross-country skier (female).

And now, aged 88 years and 16 days, Katsumi has extended her record by taking her talents to the world stage, competing in the 2023 Masters World Cup in Austria.

While Katsumi was the sole participant in the over-85 category, she managed to achieve faster timing in her two events compared to some of the contestants in younger age groups.

The GWR further reported that in the 5 km classic-style event, she completed the course in 26 minutes, 18 seconds, which was faster than one woman in the 81-85 age category, three women in the 76-80 age category, and one woman in the 71-75 age category.

During the 5 km freestyle event, Katsumi completed the race in an impressive time of 29 minutes and 4 seconds. Notably, her performance outpaced that of two women in the 81-85 age category and two women in the 76-80 age category.

Highlighting her exceptional physical condition in her advanced years, the Guinness World Records (GWR) remarked that "the ability to continue participating at her grand old age is a testament to her enduring physical health and immense core body strength."

With the next Masters World Cup due to be held in Finland in February 2024, we're optimistic that Katsumi will be able to compete and extend her record again.