Gold on cards? 79-year-old Rita is determined

New Delhi, Aug. 17: Rita Choksi says yoga and breathing exercises have kept her sharp as the Indian grandmother goes for gold at the age of 79 — just one of many elderly contenders in the Asian Games bridge competition.

Rita may be India’s oldest athlete at the Games in Jakarta, but she’s one of several 70-plus bridge players as the cerebral card game makes its debut at the regional Olympics.

Also in the mix are Malaysia’s Lee Hung Fong, at 81 the Games’ oldest competitor, and 78-year-old tobacco billionaire Michael Bambang Hartono, Indonesia’s richest man.

Bridge is one of the more surprising sports among the 40 at the Games, which also include paragliding and jetskiing — alongside Olympic events like swimming and athletics.

At the other end of the generational scale, video games or eSports will make their debut as a demonstration event, before becoming a full medal sport at the next Games in 2022.

Rita is one of four septuagenarians in India’s bridge team, which has an average age of 60. As well as her morning yoga routine, she spends three hours a day playing bridge online.

“I am looking forward to it. As far as age is concerned, I never felt that old, that was my problem,” said Rita, who will turn 80 in October.

“They kept saying that there other people much younger but they feel old,” she said at her home in what, coincidentally, was once the athletes’ village for the 1982 Games in New Delhi. Rita took up the sport in the 1970s and has represented India at international tournaments in China, Pakistan and the United States. She secured her Asian Games place at a contest in Goa.

“I played well in Goa and the president of the Bridge Federation of India felt I am good enough. They selected nine ladies out of the 24member bridge team,” she said with pride.

Rita is confident that bridge will contribute to India’s medal tally as the country has internationally ranked players. China and Indonesia are also strong.

“Bridge is a different game, it’s a mind game and there is no age barrier in this,” Anand Samant, secretary of the Bridge Federation of India, said.

“Rita is part of a mixed event and her male partner is also in his sixties.

“We had a fair selection process at various camps and the teams were selected after proper evaluation.”Anand said every country faces some uncertainty as bridge is contested for the first time.

Rita said that while some of her teammates take prescribed pills to stay healthy, she remains fit through more natural means.

“I am more into Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine) and by the grace of God I have no ailment. I do yoga in the morning and do breathing exercises. I go to bed very early and I wake up early and keep myself busy all through the day,” Rita said. — AFP

Goan for gold