Olga Koltelko (and People Who Prove it's Never to Late to Learn New Tricks)

At an age when most people are slowing down and retiring to their walkers or death beds, Olga Kotelko is doing the long jump, throwing shotput, and setting records.

Olga is 91 years old and proving that it's never too late to take up a new sport. And she's actually good at it, not just alive and ... still kicking -- so to speak. Olga took up masters track and field at 77, and over the past 14 years, she's won more than 600 gold medals. As a result, she's being studied by McGill University's Montreal Chest Institute and featured by the NY Times.

Watch Olga in Action.

And this story makes me happy because it's lots of happy-making stuff all in one:

• Exercise — a good, regular walk can be just as effective as vitamin P. Running, jumping, and throwing things is good for venting the bad stuff and getting the happy juices flowing. 
• Annoying the Grimm Reaper — what could be more universally happifying to us humans than living healthier longer? 
• Learning new things — getting the brain and body going on a new challenge is stimulating.
• Inspiration — a freakin' 91-year-old is doing the long jump, and that is just awesome.

Some related reading:

• The Masters Athlete: Understanding the Role of Sport and Exercise in Optimizing Aging
• Ageing, The Body and Social Change: Agency and Indentity Among Ageing Athletes
• Masters Track and Field: A History