Scientists are amazed at how Mazinga’s muscles produce the same energy as a 20-year-old.

Italian athlete Emma Maria Mazinga is surprising the world with her amazing performance, and scientists are studying her muscles, nerves and mitochondria (the energy-producing centers in cells) to find out how she runs at this age and continues to break her own world records.

Born in Padua, Italy on August 1, 1933, Mazinga began running as a teenager, according to Reuters, but was confined to her home when her children were born. However, she took up the hobby again at the age of 53, which is still with her today.

According to the American newspaper Washington Post, Mazinga’s story is not just a sport but a scientific mystery. The 5-foot-1-inch tall athlete, who is a resident of Last year, she set a new world record for women over 90 in the 200-meter race in 51.47 seconds. Just a month later, she made history by improving her own record by a second.

This is not the first time she has impressed her world. About 12 years ago, during a race in Germany, when she was 79, she dislocated her shoulder while trying to overtake an opponent. “My equal was about to overtake me,” Mazinga recalls the incident.

Usually, a major accident at this age would leave a person bedridden, but Mazinga was back on the field shortly after.

According to American researchers, Mazinga’s cardiovascular system is as efficient as a 50-year-old, while her muscle mitochondria function exactly like a healthy 20-year-old. “I’ve studied 90-year-old athletes all over the world, but Mazinga is second to none,” says Dr. Marta Colosio, lead author of the study at Marquette University. “She’s getting older, but she’s doing things that people at 91 can’t even imagine.”

When she broke the indoor 200-meter world record in January last year, she says, “it was a whirlwind. I was the first person to make headlines.”

Scientists then turned to her for a detailed medical study.
In the laboratory, experts removed a small piece of her thigh muscle and looked at it under a microscope. They made a startling discovery. Her fast-twitch muscles, which are essential for running fast, were the same as those of a healthy 70-year-old. But the real surprise was when her slow-twitch muscles, which are important for endurance and long runs, turned out to be exactly like those of a 20-year-old. The blood flow and nerve condition of these muscles were also similar to those of young people.

Emma Mazinga advises senior athletes around the world, saying, “Know your limits. First, see your doctor and confirm that you are ready to run. Then, make it a habit to run several times a week with consistency.”

Scientists say that research on such elite senior athletes will help us better understand the capabilities of the human body in old age.

Surprisingly, women over 100 also compete, and the world record for the 100-meter dash is held by American Diane Friedman, who ran the distance in 79 seconds.

Mazinga can be expected to be a strong candidate to break this record.