SUPER CENTENARIANS
Celebrating the oldest of the old
In May, the world’s oldest man, Bob Weighton from Alton in Hampshire, died in his sleep at the age of 112. He had briefly held the record after the death in February of Chitetsu Watanabe from Niigata, Japan, who was also 112. Weighton was born in
Hull on 29 March 1908, coincidentally the same day as Britain’s oldest woman, Joan Hocquard, who lives in Poole, Dorset. Weighton’s successor was confirmed by Guinness in June as 112-year-old Emilio Flores Marquez of Puerto Rico, who puts his longevity down to an abundance of love and living life without anger. 26 Feb; Times, 20 May; upi.com, 30 June 2021.
The oldest person currently living is Kane Tanaka from Fukuoka, Japan, who is 118. The world’s second oldest person is Lucile Randon, a French nun known as Sister Andre, who survived a coronavirus infection to celebrate her 117th birthday on 11 February. The Bishop of Toulon celebrated a Mass in her honour and the care home where she is a resident put on a sumptuous birthday feast for her. The menu included foie gras, capon with mushrooms and baked Alaska, Sister Andre’s favourite dessert. It was washed down with red wine, one of the things to which Sister Andre credits her longevity, and champagne. 12 Feb 2021.
“In there, there’s a brain. And they are delicious little things.”
Robert Marchand, a French cyclist who held several world records for centenarians, died aged 109 in May. He held the world record for cycling 100km (62 miles) in the 100-105 and the over 105 categories and the world record for the distance cycled in one hour in both categories. He won the 100km record in 2012, completing 300 laps of the Lyon velodrome in four hours, 17 minutes and 27 seconds at an average speed of 23.305 km/h (14.481 mph). His friend Gerard Mistler described him as “an example for humanity who gives people hope.” road.cc, 23 May 2021.
Dexter Kruger from Queensland, Australia, who is 111 and a retired cattle rancher, is the oldest living Australian man. His 74-year-old son Greg puts his father’s longevity down to his simple outback lifestyle, but Kruger himself has other ideas. “Chicken brains. You know, chickens have a head. And in there, there’s a brain. And they are delicious little things,” said Mr Kruger. “There’s only one little bite.” Irish Examiner, 17 May 2021.
In Kashmir, a door-todoor Covid vaccination programme turned up a woman who appears to be 124. When asked about her age, Rehtee Begum was vague, only able to say she was more than 100, but an entry for her on her son’s ration card listed her as 124. If true, Begum would not only be the oldest living person, but the oldest person known to have lived, a record currently held by Jeanne Calment, who died at 122 years and 164 days. Begum does not have any additional documentation proving her age, so it is unlikely that she will be accepted by Guinness as a record holder. D.Mirror, 5 June; ndtv.com 2 June 2021.