Watch: At 98, World's Oldest Gymnast Johanna Quaas Is Serving Fitness Goals

"My face is old but my heart is young," says German gymnast Johanna Quaas, who has defied age and conventional expectations to become a symbol of enduring athleticism and zeal. At 98 years old, she holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest active gymnast, highlighting an unending commitment to her passion. She started competing at the age of 10, went on to become a university sports teacher, and continued to pursue gymnastics after her retirement. Her agility and spirit have gained global recognition, serving as a powerful inspiration to people.

Who Is Johanna Quaas?

Johanna Quaas was born in November 1925, in Germany's Hohenmölsen. Growing up as a playful and active child, she got into gymnastics at a young age and started her competitive career at 10 years old. However, she had to put a pause on her passion during World War II, when young girls were required to complete social service.

In the German Reich, 11-year-old Quaas got involved in farming and taking care of children from different families. Soon after the war ended, she jumped back into gymnastics and trained as a coach in Stuttgart till 1945. She moved to Weißenfels but could not work in gymnastics at the time due to the Allied Occupation in East Germany.

However, Quaas did not give up on her dream of pursuing an athletic career. She instead took up handball, learning and practising it until the ban on gymnastics was removed in 1947. In 1950, she attended university to become a sports teacher and started working at the Institut für Körpererziehung (Institute for Physical Education).

Quaas trained physical training coaches and authored the university textbook Gerätturnen (Apparatus Gymnastics). She also competed in several handball and gymnastics competitions and started coaching youth girls' gymnastics. Quaas also led the team to become German Youth Champions in 1957 with trainer Siegfried Bräutigam.

Quaas has coached several Olympian gymnasts including Barbara Dix-Stolz and Christel Felgner-Wunder. When she turned 56, she began competing in the senior level of gymnastics, and she clinched many titles. She is nicknamed Turn-Oma (Gymnastics Grandma). She is married to gymnast coach Gerhard Quaas. 

98 years old.

That’s right—Johanna Quaas is 98.

Never say die.

She’s my #MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/Ll8b9kFQSb

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) May 13, 2024

In 2012, Quaas received the Guinness World Record for the oldest active competitive gymnast, which has not yet been challenged. In 2016, at the age of 90, she fulfilled her life's dream by skydiving from a height of about 3,000 meters (9,800 feet). She dedicated the jump to Queen Elizabeth II who also was 90 years old that year.