金庚勳

南韓,路透社

體育新聞 系列 第三名

東京不惑橄欖球俱樂部成立於1948年,是日本約150個球隊俱樂部的其中一支,專為40歲以上的球員舉辦競爭激烈的全身衝撞型橄欖球比賽。日本是全球65歲以上人口比重最大的國家,根據聯合國的報告,他們約佔了日本總人口的28%。老年人特別容易受孤獨影響,獨居的老年人中有 15%的人在兩週內沒有任何談話機會。橄欖球不僅使球員保持活躍,也提供了社交生活。

永山龍一(中)在熊谷市的一場比賽前練習。他現年86歲,是俱樂部最老的現役球員。

Kim Kyung-Hoon

South Korea, Reuters

Sports 3rd Prize Stories

Tokyo’s Fuwaku Rugby Club, founded in 1948, is one of around 150 Japanese clubs that stage competitive, full-contact matches for players over the age of 40. Japan has the largest proportion of people over 65 in the world—some 28% of its population—according to a United Nations report. Seniors are particularly vulnerable to loneliness, with 15% of elderly men who live alone having fewer than one conversation in two weeks. Rugby not only keeps the players active, but offers a ready-made social life.

Ryuichi Nagayama (center) practices before a match in Kumagaya. At 86 years old, he is the club’s oldest active player.