Age is just a number and Aida Germanque, also known as Grandma Iaia became a living example of this fact when she became the oldest Olympic torch bearer at the age of 106 on Saturday. Germanque carried the flame in the Amazonian city of Macapa. Only 3 years back Aida Germanque was also declared as the world’s oldest skydiver, which gave her the nickname of ‘Extreme Granny’, and now, her name will go down in Olympic history as the oldest person to carry the flame.
“I am overjoyed. I have to be grateful for this joy, which I never expected in my life. I am immensely proud,” said Germanque.
Previously, this record was held by Alexander Kaptarenko, who was 101 when he took part in the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics relay, Xinhua news agency reported.
The 95-day torch relay will pass through 325 Brazilian cities and will involve some 12,000 runners before ending at Rio’s Maracana Stadium for the lighting of the Olympic cauldron on August 5.