At 92, Emma Mazzenga continues to run as if the weather didn’t touch it. Padovana, a former chemistry professor, has a palmarès that speaks alone: 115 Italian titles, 31 European Championships, 11 World Cup and 4 world records. But today it is not just a legend of sport: it has become a real object of scientific study.
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Studies to understand how to do these performances
Italian and American scientists have in fact decided to analyze his physique to understand how he manages to maintain such high performance despite the age. The first results surprised: its muscle fibers are similar to those of a seventy -year -old, while its bloodstream is comparable to that of a twenty year old. In addition, its mitochondria – the “engines” of the cells – work as if the weather had never passed.
New studies between the University of Padua and several American laboratories will start in October. The goal? Understanding how the sprinter manages to maintain such effective communication between brain, nerves and muscles. According to researchers, Emma represents a rare case of resistance to muscle aging, an unrepeatable mix of genetics, training and lifestyle: a real living laboratory to study the limits and potential of the human body. Marta Colosio, a purse at Marquette University and the first author of the study, admitted that she has never seen a similar case. “He is aging“He said to the microphones of the Washington Post”But she can do things that at 92 people people can’t do“.
Emma’s secret
As for the direct interested party, Emma does not like to talk about magic but of pure passion and discipline. His secret is simple: never stop, not even one day. Daily movement, balanced nutrition, regular checks and above all the joy of running. His diet? Pasta, rice, fish, meat and even half a glass of wine. No obsession, only balance and constancy.
For the scientific community, Emma is a living laboratory that could offer precious clues on how to slow down the processes of aging. For his fellow citizens, however, the fastest grandmother in the world remains, capable of demonstrating how much age really is just a number.
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