When Hungary’s Sipos Éva Szabóné casually balanced herself in a headstand during Media Day at the 2026 World ParaVolley Sitting Volleyball World Championships, cameras quickly turned in her direction.

It was not just because she could still do it.

It was because she is 70 years old.

Born on 21 February 1956, Szabóné is the oldest player competing at this year’s World Championships. Yet age is not what defines her. It is her infectious energy, her love of sport and the smile she brings wherever she goes.

“Sport has been my life,” she said.

Long before she discovered sitting volleyball, Szabóné had dedicated her life to physical activity. She worked as a physical education teacher, played handball and later became a handball coach. Sitting volleyball came into her life unexpectedly after an accident in 2009.

“While I was in rehabilitation after my accident, the physiotherapists suggested I try sitting volleyball. Hungary was just starting its first women’s sitting volleyball team, and they asked if I would like to join. I thought it would be fun, so I said yes.”

That decision changed everything.

Seventeen years later, she is still proudly wearing the Hungarian colours on the sport’s biggest stage.

“It is a pleasure to be here and to play against the best teams in the world,” she said. “We know we still have a lot to improve, but we always try to give our best. We leave our heart and soul on the court.”

Watching Szabóné move across the floor, there is little to suggest she is the oldest athlete in the competition. Her mobility and enthusiasm are as striking as her competitive spirit.

She credits that to a lifetime of staying active.

“The secret is sport,” she said. “I have loved sport since I was young, and I do something active every day. Maybe that is why I have kept my mobility.”

Her motivation, however, comes from more than exercise.

“My family gives me a lot of energy, and so do the children I have taught,” she said. “I still coach handball players, and they give me so much strength.”

Back home, she is a proud mother of two sons and grandmother of four. Even while she is competing in China, her family is never far away.

“We have a family group,” she said with a smile. “My husband and my sons are always asking if I’m okay, and I keep sending them photos. It’s great fun to be here.”

For many people, turning 70 marks a time to slow down.

For Szabóné, it simply means another opportunity to compete, inspire and enjoy the sport she loves.

Her advice to anyone who believes age or disability should stop them from being active is as simple as the way she lives.

“You have to want to do sport,” she said. “Keep fighting. Move as much as you can and take care of your family.”

The headstand may have lasted only a few seconds, but it perfectly captured who Szabóné is. At 70, she still approaches sport with the same enthusiasm that first led her to say yes to sitting volleyball 17 years ago.

And in the process, she is reminding everyone that the joy of sport has no age limit.