Older people in Duzce have fun with river rafting

By Omer Urer

DUZCE, Turkey (AA) - Elderly people in northwestern Turkey met on Tuesday to celebrate the International Day for Older Persons by river rafting.

Men and women between 65 and 80 years old in Dokuzdegirmen village of Duzce province wore helmets, life jackets and swimsuits for the event.

After a briefing on how to river raft, the seniors launched their boats into the river, where they rode the currents and turns.

"Sports have no age," local professional rafter and representative of rafting sport in Duzce, Birol Tepe, told Anadolu Agency, adding: "One doesn't need to be athletic to do sports. They may look old, but they are better than we are."

One senior rafting aficionado, Ismet Sezgin, underlined that they did not feel old and had nothing to fear. He said: "If you want to remain young, you must work for it."

Gonul Tepe, a grandmother and rafter, said she was 65 years old, but feels 45.

"We are not old and we do not feel old. Before coming here, I did all my work. And now, I'm going to the river. This happens thanks to the river and nature," she added.

Irfan Yuksel, 67, also wanted to thank young people for the event.

"Thanks to the rafting organization, people began to know about our village. Young rafters cheered our village," he said.

*Writing by Fahri Aksut