Kurian Jacob began competitive swimming at 69. Six years later, the former banker has won nine medals at the World Masters Games and is preparing to chase a world record in Japan.
For most people, retirement means stepping away from professional responsibilities and slowing down. For Kurian Jacob, it became the beginning of an entirely new chapter. The Kerala native returned to India in 2017 after a career in overseas banking, but instead of settling into a quiet retired life, he began looking for a new challenge.
Swimming had always been familiar to Jacob. Growing up near a river in Kerala, he learned to swim as a child, but he never imagined that the sport would eventually become a competitive pursuit. At 69, encouraged by college friends, he entered a Masters swimming competition in Thiruvananthapuram. He won medals at the state level and qualified for the national championships. Although he did not win at the nationals, the experience pushed him to train more seriously.
His progress soon took him beyond India. At a Masters competition in Finland, Jacob won three silver and two bronze medals. His biggest achievement came at the 2025 World Masters Games in Taiwan, where he won nine medals – two gold, three silver and four bronze. His gold medals came in the 200-metre freestyle and the three-kilometre open-water event.
At 76, Jacob continues to train around six days a week, swimming roughly three kilometres in the morning while also incorporating strength training, stretching and yoga into his routine. His next ambition is even bigger: competing at the 2027 World Masters Games in Japan and attempting to challenge the world record in the 75–80 age category.
Jacob’s story also highlights the limited support available to Masters athletes in India. He has spoken about the need for better training facilities, coaching and financial assistance for older athletes competing internationally. He has also encouraged greater corporate and CSR support for Masters sport.
What makes his journey remarkable is not simply the medals. It is the decision to begin something new at an age when many people believe their most ambitious years are behind them. Jacob had already built a career in banking, but retirement did not convince him that his learning or competitive life had to end.
The Wise Take
Kurian Jacob’s story is a reminder that age can change the way we pursue a dream, but it does not have to decide whether we pursue one at all. He started competitive swimming at 69, built himself into an international Masters athlete and is still training at 76 for another major challenge.
His story is not about trying to remain young. It is about remaining curious, disciplined and willing to begin again.
Sometimes retirement is not the end of the journey. It is simply the beginning of a different one.
