Man Kaur from India needed almost a minute-and-a-half to cross the finish line in the 100-meter dash, but she still picked up a gold medal at the American Masters Games. That’s because the 100-year-old Kaur was the only female competitor in her age category at the competition for older athletes.

When she crossed the finish line in Vancouver, her competitors — many of them in their 70s and 80s — were there to cheer her on. Kaur’s energy and drive to compete have become an inspiration to participants in the unique international event for athletes over 30.

Singh said his mother believes in promoting running to other older women. “She encourages them, old ladies, that they should run, they should not eat wrong foods, and they should encourage their children also to take part in the Games.”

The World Masters Games take place every four years, with regional games in between. The Americas Masters Games in Vancouver is the first summer regional games in North America, Crooks said.The average age of the athletes is 49, and there’s one man who is even older than Kaur — 101-year-old Nihal Gill of Richmond, British Columbia.