Rio Paralympics 2016: Zuray Marcano, the 62-year-old weightlifter

Venezuelan athlete started powerlifting at the age of 35

Zuray Marcano (International Paralympic Committee)

One Paralympian is at Rio to demonstrate that age ain’t nothing but a number.

Zuray Marcano will represent Venezuela in the women’s 50kg powerlifting at the Rio games – at the age of 62.

While this is not Marcano’s first games, she has only competed once before and that was 16 years ago.

Background

Marcano caught polio at six months old. She says she was barred from participating in sport as a child because her teachers determined her disability meant she could not join in.

“I could not practise any sports during my childhood and adolescence due to my professors’ ignorance towards disability,” she told the International Paralympic Committee. “I used to be separated from the rest of the group and had to write down the points and scores in the spreadsheet but could not train with the others.”

Before settling on weightlifting at the age of 35, Marcano tried her hand at swimming and athletic.

Sporting aside, Marcano has spent more than 26 years in teaching and has a degree in education. She also has a masters degree in Sports Science from the University of the Basque Country in Bilbao, Spain. Marcano has two children and one granddaughter.

Sydney Games

Marcano’s first Olympics was the Sydney games in 2000 where she finished eighth in the women’s 48kg. Two years later she finished seventh in the world championships.

“Sydney was my first time and I didn’t have much experience, however, it was an opportunity I benefitted hugely from,” she told the Venezuelan website El Aragueno. “In Rio it’s different, there are more years to prepare, where I have a lot more experience and am able to fight for a medal.”

She also her goal for competing at the Sydney Paralympics was “to show everyone in my country that I could also practise sports”.

Age

While she may be at the age where many athletes have already been in retirement for at least 20 years, Marcano says her competing in the games will show people “you can still lead a healthy and productive life when you are in your sixties”.

Is there a secret to her age-defying abilities? Apparently, all you need to do is follow a healthy lifestyle and regime.

“Someone asked me recently if I had the secret of eternal youth because my body does not correspond with my age,” she told the IPC. “There are no secrets but to follow a healthy lifestyle. You need to know how to eat healthily, to practice sports, to control stress and anxiety and to have emotional maturity,” she says,

Rio

Marcano has said she will give “everything” to win a medal in Brazil.

“I want to show in Rio that my passion for powerlifting is still alive. […] Every ParalympicGames leaves an important legacy to the host city and this will be especially important to raise awareness of Para sports and disabilities across Latin America.”

The games kick off with the opening ceremony on Wednesday.