Fit and Fab

We chatted to JP, Fit and Fab instructor and Auldana resident Kana Nathan about his sporting achievements, his love of gardening and his plan to never retire!

Kana was very active at school and university. “I used to play a lot of sports at school and at uni– I was an athlete. Then marriage and children and work got in the way and sport went by the side.”

At the age of 61 he saw a promotion for the Australian Masters Games in Adelaide and made some inquiries. “I didn’t want to make a fool of myself so I asked the organisers for the results of participants in my events of previous years,” he says. “When I saw the results, I thought ‘I can do this’.”

He has since competed in the Australian Masters Games at Regional, Interstate and international venues for 20 consecutive years in pole vault, high jump, triple jump, long jump, 60 metres, 100 metres and 200 metres, the field pentathlon and in multiple throwing events.

As an 81 year old Kana has close to 500 medals “I lose count” and keeps them in a box. “My grandchildren loved to play with them when they were little.”

In October Kana will be competing in National Masters Games Adelaide in seven events (in the 81 – 84 year category): javelin, discus, hammer, weight throw, shotput, throws pentathlon. He will also compete in the high jump but gave up the pole vaulting, long jump, triple jump and the running events in 2016 after surgery.

He has had his share of health issues with 2016 being particularly bad. “I had a heart attack and now have five stents in my arteries. I had an abdominal aneurysm which almost burst and a mild stroke - it was a bad year.” But Kana credits his fitness with getting him out of hospital quickly and back into his normal routine; going to the gym at least three times a week for a minimum of one hour, all year round, to build muscle power and strength.

His love of fitness also translates into his volunteer work. He runs Fit and Fab classes for seniors twice a week at the Civic Centre with his team. “I want to keep seniors out of nursing homes by improving their strength, balance and mobility – and to have fun! It’s a bit of Tai Chi, weights, bands, meditation and a little bit of jazz.”

His youngest clients are in the mid-70s, lots in the 80s and he has two 94-year-olds. “I call them mature people not oldies.”

Kana is also a Justice of the Peace (since 1980) and has volunteered at Burnside for 11 years.

But his big love is his garden of tropical and sub-tropical fruit trees. “I believe we need to grow as many trees as possible to keep our air clean. But instead of growing 10 apple trees I can graft 10 types of apples on one tree,” he says. He also grows multiple grafted stone fruits, persimmons and lots of exotic fruit trees. He also does a lot of grafting for friends and family. In 2016 Kana won the inaugural City of Burnside Garden Award for his edible garden.

Kana is also a biology graduate and worked as a teacher. His lust for learning sees no bounds. “I had a bad back and went to a chiropractor who fixed it so I decided to study chiropractic.” He still operates his business one day a week and has no intention of retiring. “Retirement is for people with no imagination,” he says. “My ambition is to serve the community.”

Achievements:

Awarded ‘The Celebrate Age Award 2017’ by Active Ageing Australia, in recognition for his contribution to Active and Positive Ageing through his exercise program at Burnside. He received this award from the SA Governor.

In 2018 Burnside City Council awarded him ‘The Certificate of Appreciation’ in recognition of his Outstanding Achievement as a volunteer at the council in the community centre.

Represented Australia in the Masters Games in New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Cook Islands and Malaysia.

Represented Malaysia at the Asian Masters track and field games.

Certified fitness leader by Active Ageing Australia.

Athletic Capitan of Royal Military College Malaysia and received the college colours for athletics 1957.

Capitan of the Mysore University Athletic team 1964.

Holds the South Australian State Master track and field record in triple jump, pole vault and hammer throw.