At 105 years old, Sawang Janpram is in a league of his own at the World Masters Games in Taiwan. The Thai athlete is not only the oldest competitor but also the only one in his age group, making him a guaranteed gold medallist in the men’s 100-plus category across four events: discus, javelin, shot put, and the 100 metres.
All he had to do was finish — and he did, crossing the line in the 100m in an impressive 38.55 seconds, alone on the track but cheered like a champion.
“I’m proud he’s brought honour to our family,” said his 73-year-old daughter Siripan, herself a fellow athlete who has inspired Sawang’s journey.
The father-daughter duo are part of a massive field of nearly 26,000 athletes from 107 countries competing in Taipei. Held every four years, the World Masters Games celebrate sport for all, bringing together competitors aged 30 and up, purely for the love of participation. This year’s event is more than double the size of the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics in terms of athlete numbers.
Sawang only began exercising at age 90, motivated by Siripan and a desire to avoid the fate of friends who had become bedridden with age. Now, three to four times a week, he joins her for runs along the beach near their home in Rayong, eastern Thailand.
“Sometimes I walk, sometimes I run,” Sawang said with a smile, peering through aviator sunglasses. “Sometimes I throw the javelin — it depends on what I need to train for.”
His low-key yet consistent routine has paid off. The former school principal has now won more than 60 medals on the masters circuit, adding four more golds to his collection in Taipei. During the shot put, his final event, he threw over four metres on all five attempts, drawing applause from fellow competitors decades younger.
Siripan also found success, earning two golds and a silver, and proudly joined her father on the podium after his final victory. “I’m so proud of my father that he is still strong and competing,” she said. “People admire him wherever he goes.”
Sawang’s future in competition depends, he says, on his health. The next World Masters Games are scheduled for Japan in 2027, postponed twice due to the pandemic.
Before taking up athletics, Sawang worked as a farmer, growing durians and rubber trees. Now, sport is his passion.
“Exercise makes life better,” he said. “We meet new friends, feel more alive, and we don’t feel lonely at home.”
