“At 60, I decided to see how far I can push this body. People think that at 60, your body is not up to strenuous activity, and I thought this was nonsense. I will show them that the body does not have a retirement age.’

Tessa Schmelzer (65)

Tessa Schmelzer (65), who recently won the 2025 European Masters Athletics Championships in the women’s 60/65 age high jump category in Portugal, has for the past five years competed in national and even world championships, only five years after she made her debut in athletics.
“I took part in athletics like any other kid at school. After school, I kept reasonably fit by exercising and going to the gym three times a week, but that was it. When I retired as a research psychologist and consultant at 60, I sat on the farm and wondered what now?”
At the time, Tessa’s husband Warren took part in Parkruns and decided to enter an athletics meet in the 800m. “He told me I should come with and compete in the speed walking. As I was walking around the track, I was watching the various activities, and the high jump fascinated me. I asked what the current South African record was, and I thought I had long legs, I could do that…” And that was the beginning of a new chapter in both their lives. The athletics bug had bitten, and the couple joined the Hartbeespoort Athletics Club, where Tessa trained in high jump, long jump, hurdles, and the 100m sprint. Warren excelled in steeplechase and the 800m events.
To start actively competing in athletics at 60 is no mean feat, and Tessa more than excelled. At her first meet, she broke the South African record that had stood for 11 years, and since then, she has broken her own record twice. In the meantime, she also started competing in hurdles, long jump and 100m sprint. “I became passionate about my performance, health and strength. My son is a strength coach, and he told me I must get glutes,” she laughs. This is what started her off on strength training. “I can do a 350kg leg press… that is a cow, or half a Volkswagen Beetle!”
She trains almost daily, and with Warren, they travel nationally and internationally to compete in Master’s athletics meets.
Her athletic prowess is still surprising to her. “Look, I don’t do this for the win of the accolades. I do this because I want to be able to get off a chair and walk without help when I’m 80. I have more strength and energy than I did at 40, and it is a wonderful feeling.”
However, it is not only the training responsible for this. “I have become passionate about health and nutrition. If you give your body the right food, exercise, rest and sunshine, it will rebuild itself. I am also mentally sharper. There is a lot of truth in the mind-body relationship.”
She is currently training for the European Indoor Circuit, culminating in the European Indoor Championship in Poland next year.
Athletics is a passion Tessa and Warren share. “I don’t know why you are interviewing me; my husband is much better,” she laughs.
Husband Warren was recently named the South African Masters Male Athlete of the 2024/2025 during the South African Masters Athletics Track & Field Championships awards evening. He won two world titles at the World Masters Outdoor Championships in Sweden in 2024, competing in the 70–74 age group in both the 2000m steeplechase and the 800m.
“We do this to ensure that we will continue to have a good mobile life. I don’t want to sit in an old age home playing cards when I am 90, I want to run on the beach with my grandchildren!”