By Oliver Ohmann
Some people retire in their mid-60s, while others really get going in their 80s. The second type can be found at the dog’s throat, on the tennis courts of the LTTC Rot-Weiß.
Hans-Jürgen Kretzschmar trains with his tennis friends twice a week. The 82-year-old has just stood on the pitch for two hours with Ulli and Hans-Dieter, both 80. “We still want to improve,” says the doctor of chemistry. “There has to be ambition, even in those over 80.” There are around a dozen players in the team, organized by an Olympic champion, hockey legend Carsten Keller (84).
Hans-Jürgen, Ulli and Hans-Dieter train twice a week at LTTC Rot-Weiß Photo: Olaf Selchow
“We are tops in our age group in Berlin,” says Ulli, a retired teacher and former table tennis champion. Kretzschmar is in 22nd place in the German over-80 rankings, while teammate Hanspeter Rabe is ninth. To get to the rankings you have to earn points in tournaments, just like with the professionals.
Kretzschmar: “We travel across Germany, always by train. Last week we went to Dinslaken.” The bum-bum oldie came second and gained 562 points.
He doesn’t think about quitting. “We have good players with artificial hips and knee joints, but thank God everything for me is still original.”
When did it actually start? “When I was 14 years old in East Berlin, I became GDR junior team champion in 1957. After fleeing to the West in 1958, I continued with Grün-Weiß Nikolassee and have been with Rot-Weiß since 2005.”
Photo: Olaf Selchow
After tennis training, the old men treat themselves to a beer and chat about God and the world. But not for too long, because everyone wants to stay in shape.
2023-09-27 14:06:38
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