If there’s anyone who can tell you age is just a number, it’s Maurine Kornfeld.
- At 97, local woman swims four mornings a week
- She holds multiple swimming records and medals for her age group
- Recently inducted into International Masters Swimming HOF
"She’s 97, but she acts like a 20-year-old," said her coach Chad Durieux.
Her friends call her 'Mo,' and she's at the Rose Bowl four times a week before 7 am, often swimming backstroke through the early morning fog.
How does she get up so early?
"Obviously, not in my right mind," she said.
But it’s her sharp wit and sense of humor that make her an inspiration to her fellow swimmers.
"If Mo can swim, I can get back in the water," said one of her teammates.
Kornfeld has been swimming competitively all over the world since she was in her 50s, setting about two dozen world records for her age group.
"She set a bunch from 90 to 94 and then, she aged up to 95 and continued to set a bunch more records," Durieux said.
At 97, she's still able to jump from the starting block and do a flip turn while doing distance swims.
"Just physically doing an 800 at that age, that’s what impresses me the most," Durieux said.
And he's not the only one who was impressed.
In September, Kornfeld was inducted into the International Masters Swimming Hall of Fame in Jacksonville, Florida.
"This is the trophy shelf," she said as she pointed to her collection.
Over the years, she has earned more awards and medals than she can count and through it all, the champ is still as humble as can be.
She ends every swim with a dip in the hot tub and some casual conversation. Some call her wonder woman but she would tell you she just loves swimming.
"It’s good to get the cobwebs out of the brain and they say it’s healthy, but I’d do it even if it weren’t."
As for her secret to staying active at 97? She’d rather change the subject.
"We don’t talk about numbers," Kornfeld said.
Except for her records.