Mo Fitzgerald’s goes into The Guiness Book of World Records
What are you planning to do when you are 76 years, sit on the stoep, read a book and live a lazy life or perhaps vaulting? The latter is exactly what Mo Fitzgerald opted to do.
A 76-year-old woman from Randjesfontein Vaulting Club has been entered into The Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest vaulter in the world to date.
Mo Fitzgerald, who participated in the 2022 South African Vaulting Championship, was 76 years and 133 days old when she achieved this magnificent feat.
Fitzgerald, from Lonehill, Fourways, said she only started vaulting four years ago when she was 74 years.
Asked how it felt to be the oldest vaulter in the entire world, Fitzgerald said, “Appreciative, surprised and amazed. I was very surprised and didn’t know I was the oldest vaulter [in the whole world].”
She said the pleasure and the desire to learn a new skill is what kept her going, and she now wants to work on improving her skills on the horse. “I have not had a horse to practice on for about a year, so I am very grateful to the Randjesfontein Vaulting Club for supplying a horse and for the opportunity to continue vaulting. They have been very patient and supportive,” said Fitzgerald.
She said doing gymnastics and ballet first before pursuing vaulting was also helpful. “In my youth, I used to train for five hours a day, for six days a week for 10 years. In artistic gymnastics, I was the South African champion all that time. Now I train once a week as I seem to have muscle memory. I started gymnastics when I was 14 years and finished at 24 years.”
She said she gave up all sports to bring up her three children and went back after 42 years to do ballroom dancing.
Related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/204100/mo-fitzgerald-still-has-all-the-moves-at-vaulting
