Almost four decades after she was not selected for the Soviet Union's badminton team, Israeli Svetlana Zilberman played on the sport's highest stage this week and, at the age of 64, became the oldest winner of the World Championships ever when she and her son, Misha, won the mixed doubles match at the competition held in Tokyo.
At 25, Belarus-born Svetlana was considered too old to be selected for the Soviet Union's national team at the height of her career.
"They said I was old when I was 25 - now I'm a young woman," Svetlana repeated what she had been through.
Svetlana became the oldest player to win the competition after she and 33-year-old Misha defeated Egypt's Adham Hatem Elgamal and Doha Hani 16-21, 21-18, 21-11.
At the same time, it seems that the "young" Svetlana still hasn't said the last word.
"I'm not tired of playing yet, so who knows," she said after she and Misha were eliminated from the championship yesterday (Thursday) with a 21:6, 21:5 loss against Malaysians ranked 8, Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing.
Svetlana Silberman.
A huge inspiration, photo: AFP
Svetlana coaches her son and she couldn't find a suitable partner for him so she took on the role, and the two made their first appearance together at the 2009 World Championships.
Mischa says the arrangement keeps them both fit and he described their first round victory in Tokyo as "an amazing feeling".
"My category is men's singles and we play mixed doubles just to get the feeling, not focusing on the results," he said.
"When we can win in mixed, it's a good feeling and we're very happy."
Misha says his mother's relationship on the court is "like any mixed doubles player", with discussions on how to improve and swing the game in their favor.
Off the court, however, he says "she is my coach, so there is no discussion."
Ranked 47th in the world, as you remember, he appeared in men's singles at the Olympics three times and he finished in third place at the European Championships this summer in Madrid.
Misha also has thoughts of continuing to play for the foreseeable future inspired by his mother.
"My mother never retired, so obviously this thought goes through myself as well," he analyzed, "I don't see myself retiring anytime soon."
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