A 101-year-old U.S. woman who ushered in her birthday with a tandem paraglide ride last year is soaring into the record books Tuesday.
Great-great grandmother Mary Hardison has been officially recognized as the ``Oldest Female to Paraglide Tandem'' by Guinness World Records. She supplanted a 100-year-old woman from Cyprus who took her flight in 2007.
Hardison flew with an instructor on Sept. 1, 2011, while four generations of her family watched and cheered. The flight went smoothly and even included a few tricks that Hardison encouraged.
Hardison said she wanted to paraglide because her 75-year-old son began doing it as a hobby.
``I didn't want him to get too far ahead of me, so I decided that I'd go too,'' she said Tuesday.
Fear never entered the equation for Hardison, who previously rode all of the adult rides at Disneyland to celebrate her 90th birthday.
Hardison said she was shocked to learn her flight had become a world record.
``To me, I was just going on a little ride,'' she said. ``I had no idea I'd break a record.''
Hardison said her active lifestyle has already inspired others her age to pursue similar adventures.
``Some people have said, `Well, if you can do that at your age, then there's no need for me to just sit around,''' she said. ``My desire is for the elderly to keep on going. Do things as long as you are physically able. Be positive. Friends don't like a grumpy person.''
When Hardison decided to take the birthday leap, family members were concerned for her safety. After all, it was her first flight and she was the oldest customer the paragliding company had ever taken into the air.
``My first reaction was she was nuts,'' said daughter-in-law Bonnie Hardison. ``But everyone is just so excited and thinks this record is great.''
As for any future flights, Mary Hardison, who spends her days quilting for charities, is just playing it by ear.
``If the notion strikes, I'll go again,'' she said. (AP)
<한글 기사>
美 101세 할머니, 패러글라이딩 기네스 신기록
미국의 101세 할머니가 '2인용 패러글라 이딩 최고령 여성' 부문 기네스 세계기록을 갈아치웠다.
주인공은 미국 유타주(州) 오그던에 사는 메리 하디슨으로 지난해 9월 1일 자신 의 101번째 생일을 기념해 솔트레이크 시티 부근에서 증손자 등 4대가 지켜보는 가운데 비행강사와 함께 2인용 패러글라이딩을 탔다.
비행은 순조롭게 진행됐고, 몇가지 묘기까지 선보였다고 한다.
기네스 측은 하디슨의 역사적인 비행이 "신기록 수립에 새로운 경지를 보여줬다 "고 평했다. 이로써 2007년 수립된 키프로스 출신 100세 여성의 최고령 비행 기록이 경신됐다.
하디슨은 75세 아들이 취미로 패러글라이딩을 시작해 자신도 타게 됐다고 말했다.
이전에도 90번째 생일을 기념해 디즈니랜드의 성인 코스를 모두 탄 하디슨 할머니는 "내 바람은 노인들이 신체적 여력이 있는 한 할 수 있는 일들을 계속해 나가고, 긍정적으로 생각하는 것"이라며 자신의 활동적인 생활방식이 그녀 나이 또래의 많 은 이들에게 모험을 추구하게 하는 영감을 주었다고 밝혔다.
평소엔 자선단체를 위해 퀼트로 일상을 보내는 하디슨은 "다음 비행은 사정을 봐서 하겠다"며 "해야겠다는 생각이 들면 다시 할 것"이라고 전했다.
