KANGAR, MALAYSIA: For retired English teacher Azizan Ali, age is but a number.

The 61-year-old sports enthusiast did not let age get in the way of his dream of swimming 52km yesterday -- from Langkawi island to Kuala Perlis on the mainland.

Azizan started out at 5.25pm on Friday and reached Kuala Perlis at 8.20am yesterday.

"I am challenging myself. I enjoy swimming, cycling and other sports. It gives me a lot of self satisfaction," he said.

Azizan's swim was organised by the Perlis Youth and Sports Department and received the support of Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Md Isa Sabu.

The last people to swim from Langkawi to Kuala Perlis were Salman Ali Shariati Abdul Halim, 10, and his sister Zahra Masoumah, 15, in August last year.

Azizan said rough seas and rain were the biggest obstacles as he swam from Langkawi.

"It was wrong timing for me, rippling waves and currents moved from the opposite direction. Those who accompanied me on the boats were sea sick."

Officers from the Marine Department, marine police, Fire and Rescue department and state Health Department accompanied Azizan in five boats.

Azizan, who now wants to learn paragliding, and is thinking about swimming the English Channel, has this advice for other senior citizens: join fitness programmes.

A grandfather of three and father of five, Azizan said: "Our senior citizens, once they hit old age, are only thinking of taking care of their grandchildren.

"Senior citizens overseas are doing sports such as the long jump."

Azizan, a retired headmaster from SK Kubang Gajah, has been training pupils in football, hockey, sepak takraw and tennis.

He has also participated in decathlons locally and in Japan, Australia and Africa.

Azizan trained more than three hours a day for a year to prepare himself for the swim from Langkawi to the mainland.

He did an hour of swimming, spent an hour at the gym and jogged in the evening.

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