Khaberni - British runner Colin Spevvy achieved a stunning feat by winning the gold medal in the 800 meters race for the 90-year-age category during the European Masters Athletics Championships held on the Portuguese island of Madeira, with a time of 4:17.60 minutes, proving that age is just a number in the face of determination and persistence.
From a Smoker to a Continental Champion in His Nineties
Just one year ago, Colin Spevvy - now 91 years old - participated in his first track competition in the finals of the 5000 meters race for men +85 years at the European Masters Championships, finishing fourth with a time of 30:40 minutes. It was his first track experience after a life devoid of sports, making his result then a big surprise.
But Spevvy's story did not start on the track, but at a moment of decision. The British runner says: "I started smoking after graduating from high school, and I did not engage in any sports for many years, until someone challenged me in a one-mile race, and I could not finish half of it. That night, I threw away the cigarettes and pipe in the trash, and decided to change my life."
From Amateur Races to the Winner's Podium
Spevvy began his new journey by participating in amateur races for distances of 10 and 15 kilometers, half-marathons, and even full marathons. However, his wife's illness made him stop running
