Scientists Retest 92-Year-Old Sprint Record Holder Emma Mazzenga as Studies Find 20-Year-Old Muscle Traits
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jun 10
Scientists Retest 92-Year-Old Sprint Record Holder Emma Mazzenga as Studies Find 20-Year-Old Muscle Traits
2 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jun 10
Summary
Researchers recently brought Emma Maria Mazzenga back to the lab to repeat the physiological tests she took at 91, aiming to track how her body changed by nearly 93.
Two Journal of Applied Physiology studies found the Italian sprinter’s aerobic fitness resembled that of athletic women about half her age, while some muscle mitochondria functioned like those of people in their 20s.
The tests also showed clear age-related limits: reduced leg muscle mass, force production closer to people in their 70s or 80s, and notable fast-twitch fiber atrophy despite years of sprint training.
Mazzenga, who trains about 3 times a week and holds world records in the 90-94 age group, is part of a broader effort to identify which exercise patterns can slow aspects of aging.
Scientists say her case suggests exercise can meaningfully reshape aging even when regular training begins or resumes later in life, though genetics and other factors remain unresolved.