She Just Won 3 Gold Medals for Her Swimming. She’s Only 73.
Hundreds of thousands of senior athletes like Ms. Barnea compete regularly in athletic events throughout the world, including
the National Senior Games Association, United States Masters Swimming and USA Track & Field Masters programs.
Even more so is the fact that Ms. Barnea, who lives in Palo Alto, Calif., is a record-breaking swimmer
and senior athlete who competes in sanctioned races for her age group in events around the world.
Anyone who is keeping up physical activity — both the aerobic part, which is really important,
and the strength and balance and flexibility — is reducing the risks and buffering the decline that is going on.”
For Mr. Cheek, the nation’s fastest 100-meter sprinter in his age group, there is “a pride and a mental discipline
that carries over into your whole lifestyle,” he said.
It’s “kind of boring swimming back and forth, back and forth, but when you have a goal, it’s not,” Ms. Barnea said.
A recent documentary, “Impossible Dreamers,” produced by Eric Goldfarb
and Erik Howell through Better World Film Group, follows senior athletes who are amateurs as they train for competition.
“You need to trust yourself, trust the hopes and not the fears, and keep going around the obstacles,” Ms. Barnea said.
