Cleveland Clinic Helps 86-Year-Old Triathlete Continue Winning Despite Heart Condition

At 86, Luise Easton is still crossing finish lines — and proving that staying active is her secret to longevity.

The former phys-ed teacher, swimming instructor, and synchronized swimmer has been on the move most of her life. Years ago, she quit smoking and replaced the habit with jogging, which soon snowballed into triathlons around the world.

“I thought, I know how to swim. I run. And I know how to ride a bike. I gave it a try — and found out I could do it,” Easton said.

By her fifties, she had already qualified for her first world championship. But decades of competition caught up with her in 2021 when she began feeling winded during training. A stress test revealed her hearts ejection fraction — a measure of how well blood is pumped — was below normal.

Concerned shed have to give up the sport she loved, Easton turned to Dr. Tamanna Singh, director of the Cleveland Clinic Sports Cardiology Center and a long-distance runner herself. Tests showed weakened function in one of Luises heart walls, but Singh cleared her to keep competing with adjustments.

“I like Dr. Singh because she understands people who want to be competitive,” Easton said.

With new medication and a careful approach, Easton has continued to rack up first-place finishes, including her age group at the 2023 World Triathlon Aquathlon Championships in Ibiza and the 2022 World Triathlon Sprint and Relay Championships in Montreal.

“I like to win. But as I get older, Im sometimes the only competitor in my age group. I only have to show up and finish each leg of the race to win,” she joked.

These days, she tailors her races — often skipping the cycling portion, walking during runs, and focusing on shorter events. Currently, shes preparing for the Columbus Triathlon & Multisport Festival, where she finished first in her class and fifth overall last year.

Her advice? “Find something you like to do that gets you moving, and just do it.”