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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Maybe the old saying really is true — age is just a number.

Today in Winston-Salem, people as young as 30 and as old as 97 competed in the National Masters Track and Field Championship. For the first time ever, the competition is here in the Piedmont.

More than 2,000 people signed up for one of the many events — short and long distance runs, discus, hurdles and more.

One discus competitor, Michael Janusey, 58, of Pittsburgh, Pa., says about 10 years ago he had both hips replaced.

“I absolutely thought I was done,” he says.

But he persevered and now competes in these types of competitions all over the country.

Another athlete, Jeanne Daprano, 77, was the first woman over 70 to run a sub-seven minute mile in competition. That was a few years ago, and she hopes she can keep that time well into her 80s.

“I run for the joy of it”, she says, and she plans to keep running until her body will no longer let her.

The event kicked off today and will run through Sunday. Organizers say competitors come from 48 different states and several other countries. In total, they expect the event to bring in more than half a million dollars for the city of Winston-Salem.