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Alda Rodrigues Lima at the startling line of a sprinting competition. Photo by Instagram/@ohnoticiario |
At an age when most people enjoy their retirement, Alda remains dedicated to the track, despite suffering from osteoarthritis in both knees. Even more remarkable than her medals is her decision to sell an apartment to finance her dream of competing abroad.
The decision began with a conversation after a training session. Her teammates were discussing plans for a trip to Italy to compete. Alda could only sit in and listen because she did not have the financial ability to join them.
“I would listen to that conversation and feel distressed because I wanted to go but couldn’t. So I told them, ‘Wow, you guys keep talking about this near me, knowing I can’t travel,'” she told Folha Vitória.
A friend then brought up the apartment Alda owned in Laranjeiras in southern Brazil, asking if she ever intended to live there again. The friend suggested Alda, then living in Rio de Janeiro, sell the property and she took the advice immediately.
Italy became the first stop on this elderly athlete’s journey across the international tracks around 20 years ago. Since that trip, she has traveled to the U.S. four times for competitions. She has also competed in France, Finland, and Australia. In South America, her stops include Chile, Colombia, Bolivia, Argentina and Peru.
Alda admits she no longer remembers exactly how many countries she has visited or the total number of medals she has won. However, she affirms that she has never returned empty-handed from any international competition, with a collection that includes gold medals.
Born in Queimado, Serra, Alda grew up on a small family farm. She only began her athletic journey after the age of 70, after revolving mainly around work and raising two sons alone, as her marriage fell apart while she was pregnant with her second child.
She worked at the Retirement and Pension Institute for the Brazilian maritime sector, and later held an administrative position at the Ministry of Health, according to Capixaba agenda.
Running passion
After retirement, she began signing up for swimming lessons. A turning point arrived when a friend invited her to take part in a local run dedicated to raising awareness about breast cancer.
Through that experience, Alda developed a love for running, eventually transitioning to training on an athletics track, where she discovered her talent for sprinting.
“I started running in the street. Then I started training on a track and that’s where I found myself as an athlete. I discovered I was a sprinter, and that’s what I am to this day,” she recounted, as quoted by Folha Vitória.
Alda celebrated her 91st birthday in September. Despite suffering from osteoarthritis in both knees, she continues to compete.
For Alda, athletics has offered far more than just medals. It has improved her overall health and mobility, and expanded her social circle.
She emphasizes that older people looking to take up sports should be mindful of their own physical limits. She advises them to seek out a suitable environment and work closely with a qualified instructor, rather than jumping straight into high-intensity training.