93 year young Johanna Quaas, the world's oldest gymnast shows grace and strength

Johanna Quaas (née Geißler; born November 20, 1925 in Hohenmölsen)is a German gymnast. As of now she is the oldest gymnast in the world. Quaas is a regular competitor in the amateur competition Landes-Seniorenspiele, staged in Saxony, Germany.

She started gymnastics at an early age and appeared in her first competition in 1934. As she said herself, her dream was to compete in Olympics. But the breakout of World War II changed her fate.

In 1945, Johanna Quaas finished her job training as gymnastics coach in Stuttgart. Afterwards, she moved to Weißenfels, where she started to train handball as gymnastics was banned by the Allied Control Council. In 1947, this ban was removed and she started again with gymnastics. In 1950, she started to study at University of Halle-Wittenberg. Afterwards, she trained coaches at the Institut für Körpererziehung. She co-authored the gymnastics text book "Gerätturnen".

During this time, she trained at the HSG Wissenschaft Halle. In 1961, she also coached gymnasts at SC Chemie Halle, including Barbara Dix-Stolz and Christel Felgner-Wunder, who were later nominated to start at the 1964 Summer Olympics.

At age 57, Quaas again started with training in 1982 with two friends who have since passed away. After the German reunification, she also started at all Deutsche Turnfeste since 1990.

"My face is old but my heart is young", by Johanna Quaas

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On September 13, 2012 it was announced that Quaas would receive an entry in The Guinness Book of Records as oldest gymnast in the world, which she has kept ever since.
‘I do gymnastics to avoid being susceptible to falls and that is a good preventive tool,’ she said in an interview with The Straits Times.

‘I do gymnastics to avoid being susceptible to falls and that is a good preventive tool,’ she said in an interview with The Straits Times.

‘If you are fit, it is easier to master life,’ by Johanna Quaas

‘My proudest moment so far was when I was 84 years old and there was no one in my age group competing in the championships,’ she said. ‘So they put me with the others in the 70-75 age group and I still won by one point.

Johanna Quaas keeps doing exercise almost everyday, including swimming, gymnastics, walking, and she enjoys sauna at least once a week. She likes to eat vegetables, fruits as well as the German meat.

Quaas is a regular competitor in the amateur competition Landes-Seniorenspiele, staged in Saxony, Germany.