At 94 still in the gym: England celebrates "Super Mario" Sanna

The longevity and rocky rind of Sardinians are also making headlines in Great Britain .

Thanks to Mario Sanna, who has just turned 94 , who emigrated from the island - precisely from La Maddalena - in the 1950s and is celebrated in recent days by the BBC broadcaster and on the pages of the English press with the nickname of "Super Mario".

The reason? At his ripe old age he is still in great shape and continues to attend the "I-Motion Gym" in the city of Rotherham , in South Yorkshire, with assiduity and punctuality (at least twice a week).

At the beginning of November, on the occasion of his last birthday, the same gym decided to reward the constancy of the spry grandfather, giving him a certificate that certifies his loyalty to physical activity.

In fact, Mario Sanna has been dedicating himself to bodyweight exercises, machines and company at the I-Motion Gym for twenty-five years .

Arriving in England in 1952, two years later Sanna started working for British Rail, the railways of the United Kingdom. Work kept him fit for a long time, but when Mario – who has two children and four grandchildren – retired in the 1990s, he decided to look for other ways to keep his body toned.

So, at 60, he first joined the gym. And the desire to get some exercise gradually turned into a passion. A passion that still lasts.

“At the time I needed a lot of money, because I had to get married. So I worked almost all the time, including Sundays," said Sanna. «When I retired, however, I had nothing to do, so I decided to join the gym. In the beginning it was my intention to get in shape and stay in shape as much as possible. But I never stopped . And still today I dedicate myself to the exercises».

The retired athlete-athlete would go to the gym every day if he didn't have, he says, an eye problem that somewhat limits him. But a future operation could allow him to be more assiduous.

In the meantime, twice a week there is no excuse or impediment : a friend picks him up on Tuesday and Friday mornings, and off he goes to his exercises, helped by personal trainer Hannah Atkinson.

«I use - adds Super Mario - everything that the gym provides, any type of machine, including the rowing machine and I also attend spinning lessons. And then I dedicate myself to lifting weights or using the treadmill to walk ».

Super Mario is loved by the gym staff. «He has been coming here for more than 25 years and at 94 he continues to bless us with his weekly presence. We are like a second family to him », the I-Motion Gym staff underlined on Facebook, celebrating the dean of its members.

But also for the retired-athlete the gym team is now in the heart. «When I come here - he underlines - I don't just dedicate myself to exercises. For me, as for everyone, it is also and above all the perfect opportunity to meet other people, socialize and make friends» .

Not only. Sanna does not fail to proselytize, inviting all her acquaintances, especially those more advanced in age, not to stand still, but to always keep fit.

«I advise everyone to get out of the house and do something», Sanna says. “I think the body has a real need to move. It's like a car. If you leave it idle, it gradually starts to deteriorate. This is exactly why movement is essential. And I'm always on the move, maybe even in my sleep .'