A 95-year-old is out there breaking world swimming records when most have long since retired. Jane Asher recently broke five age-related world swimming records.
"It does keep you healthy. I have taught people who just had surgery, and their doctors were amazed by how much they had improved because of the swimming," she said. She's been swimming most of her life.
"My mom was taught to swim in the sea in Cornwall, and she was addicted to water," she recalled. "We spent all of our free time just jumping in and out of the water. I took to it quite quickly. The war [WWII] was on when I was at school, so we didn't have competitions, but I swam every morning to get rid of some energy."
She started swimming competitively when she was 50. Since then, she broke more than 100 records and doesn't show any signs of slowing down.
Breaking Swimming Records
"When my husband died, I started filling the time, but it was hard because there is this big hole in your life. But swimming has given me such good friends, and they give back to me," Asher said.
"Without friends, life doesn't happen. There is always somebody pushing you on. I think that is what keeps me going, somebody waiting for me," she continued. "I couldn't do half of what I have done without the friends who have helped me enter. You have to do everything online now. As you get to 95, everything goes so quickly and you get slower."
She hopes she can be an inspiration to others. People of any age can enjoy swimming, and it doesn't put much wear and tear on your bodies.
"It is a really good non-contact sport. You can't hurt yourself. Running hurts your knees and your hips and even tennis causes shoulder problems," she said. "It is good to have something to think about. It is a bit like meditation."
