83-year-old Argentine grandmother revives tennis dream
BUENOS AIRES (AFP) – Ana
Obarrio de Pereyra Iraola’s dream of becoming a tennis star was put on hold in
1949 when her husband stopped her playing. For the next 20 years, she
concentrated on raising their 10 children instead.
But now at 83, this Argentine grandmother has revived her dream.
"I like to compete. I like to win," she says, sitting down in the heat at the Hurlingham sports club in Buenos Aires.
She spoke to AFP just after
winning the Argentina Senior Masters in the 80-plus category.
Obarrio’s family indulged her love of tennis. She started
playing as a girl and was a youth champion. But the social mores of late 1940s
Argentina got the better of her after she met her husband when she was 18.
Shortly afterwards, she gave up an opportunity to play in a
major international tournament.
"My husband didn’t like me playing mixed doubles with
men... I didn’t play again after that," she recalls.
"I don’t regret it. I
would do the same again. My first joy is my children. Tennis comes next."
She resumed playing with friends in her 40s. In her 60s, after
her husband’s death, she started competing seriously again. Obarrio trains
three times a week on a court her family built for her at her country estate.
"She has the best style of play of anyone in her
category," said Norma Baylon, an Argentine tennis star from the 1960s.
Argentina has about 1,000 competitive players in the seniors
category -- more than most countries.
"As players get older, the aim is to run less and achieve
greater precision in their shots," says coach Roberto Alvarez, director of
the Argentine Senior Masters 2016.
Obarrio plays in 1950s-style flat-soled white canvas shoes and stylized shorts and
t-shirt that recall the days of her youth.
"I put on my shoes and feel the ground of the court,"
she says. "It gives me immense pleasure."
Two of Obarrio’s daughters and six of her grandchildren come to
watch her beat an 80-year-old rival in their hour-long Masters final on the
Hurlingham clay.
Obarrio ranks third in the country in her age
group. This year she aims to play in the seniors world
championships in Florida.
"I am obsessed with winning that," she says.
Obarrio has 37 grandchildren.
"She is very free-spirited," says one of them, Lupe,
19, after watching her Masters victory.
"She is an unusual grandmother."
(Published by: Dunya News)
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